THE 
a 
Conversation of sur Saviour with Nicovemus 
ILLUSTRATED- 


QB Sermon, 


ST. PAUL’S CHURCH, DEDHAM, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 1821, 


BEFORE 


THE ANNUAL CONVENTION 
OF 


THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH, 


THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 


WITH NOTES, AND 


AN APPENDIX. 


IN WHICH 


fhe Suwdbject of Regeneration 


18S MORE LARGELY CONSIDERED. 


° BY SAMUEL FARMAR JARVIS, D. Dz. 


Rector of St, Paul’s Chureh, Boston. 


eteeeee 
BOSTON : 
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY JOSEPH W. INGRAHAM. 
1822, 


mphlet Collection 
Duke Divinity School 


AT the annual eeting of the Convention of the Protestant Epis- 
copal Church, in the state of Massachusetts, held at St. Paul's 
Church, in Dedham, June 20, A. D. 1821, 

It was voted, That the thanks of this Convention be. presented. to 
the Rev. Dr. Jarvrs, for his Sermon, this day delivered before the 
Convention, and that Stephen Codman, Samuel Lowder, and Wal- 
ter M’Farlan, Esquires, be a committee to request a copy for the press- 

A copy of record, 
Attest, THOMAS CARLILE, Secretary. 


Rev. Sm, 

In obedience to the foregoing. vote of- the Conyention of the Pro- 
testant Episcopal Church, in the state of Massachusetts, we do our- 
selves the honour to wait upon you, and to request that you will fur- 
nish for the press, a copy of the Sermon therein referred to, as soon 
as your convenience will permit. 

Very respectfully, we are, Reverend sir, your most obedient, and 


humble servants, 
STEPHEN CODMAN, 
SAMUEL LOWDER, Committee. 
WALTER M‘FARLAN, 
Dedham, June 20, 1821. 
Rey. SamuEt F. JArvis, D.D. 


Dedham, June 20, 1821- 
GENTLEMEN, 

I feel very sensibly the honour which the Convention has conferred 
upon me, in requesting, through you, a copy for the press, of the 
Sermon this day delivered before them. As the subject of it is, 
however, of great importance, and I am studious to avoid even the 
appearance of novelty in the interpretation of the scriptures, I 
wish to suspend the publication, till I cam find time to annex a few 
notes, and perhaps a short dissertation, referring the reader to some 
of the authorities on which the explanatory part of the Sermon is 
founded. With this reservation, I shall. consider it my duty to com- 
ply with the request of the Convention. 

I am, gentlemen, very respectfully, your most obedient, and hum- 
ble servant, ‘ 
SAMUEL FARMAR JARVIS. 
To Stephen Codman, 

Samuel Lowder, and Committee. * 
Walter M‘Farlan, Esquires, 


Boston, June 1, 1822. 
GENTLEMEN, 

The: publication of the Sermon, preached before the Jast annuat 
Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the state of 
Massachusetts, has been so long delayed, and the dissertation whick 
I thought of adding has insensibly grown to such a length, that I 
am unwilling to have the publication of the worl, in its present state, 
considered as authorized by the Convention of last year. I hate 
therefore made an arrangement to have the whole printed, and so” 
placed at the disposal of the approaching Convention, that as many 
copies may be laid on their table, as they shall think proper to or~ 
der. 

I am, gentlemen, very respectfully, your most obedient, and hum- 


ble servant, 
' SAMUEL. F. JARVIS, 
To Stephen Codman, 

Samuel Lowder, and > Committee. 

Walter M‘Farlan, Esquires, 


SHRMON, 


ST. JOHN Ill. 8. 
HOW CAN THESE THINGS BE ? 


MY BRETHREN, 


Ws niione of the Jewish sanhedrim, the great 
council of the nation—a member also of the 
powerful and learned sect of the pharisees— 
came to visit our Saviour by night. “ Rabbi,” 
said he, “we,” the great council of the nation, 
the men of understanding, intelligence, power, 
and influence, “know that thou art a teacher 
come from God; for no man can do these mira- 
cles that thou doest, except’ God be with him.” 
It was a settled principle, in the Jewish theology, 
that miraculous agency was the sure test of a 
divine commission; and the rulers and the phari- 
sees knew, in their hearts, that our Lord was a 
teacher come from God, though, from corrupt 
motives, they endeavoured to persuade themselves 
and the people to the contrary.* Nicodemus was 


* See Note A, 


“ei 


3 


more sincere and honest than the great body 
of his associates, but still he was afraid of a pub- 
lick disclosure of his sentiments with regard to 
the characte? of Jesus. He therefore sought to 
save his popularity on the one hand, and te sooth 
and satisfy his conscience on the other, by coming 
to visit our Lord at mght, and thus making a se- 
cret acknowledgment of belief in his divine mis- 
sion. ‘There is a very peculiar characteristick of 
the conversations of our Saviour, which will oc- 
cur, I am persuaded, with great force to your ~ 
minds; I mean, his addressing his reply to 
the secret thoughts of men, rather than to 
their words. Omniscience was an attribute of 
Jesus. “He knew,” says the evangelist, “ what 
was in man :”’* and he declares of himself, 
that he “searcheth the reins and _ hearts.” 
When he was asked by a young man, eminent 
for his wealth, and a strict observer of the moral 
law, what he should do to obtain eternal life, 
his answer was “Sell what thou hast and give to 
the poor.” His all-seeing eye detected the 
weak spot inthe character of this youth, expos- 
ed his mordinate attachment to wealth, and 
subjected his sincerity to the only test by which 


* John ii. 25. 


} Rey. ii. 23. Compare this text with Jer. xvii. 10, to which 
itis, to say the least, a manifest allusion. In the latter, it is 
spoken by Jehovah; in the former, by our Saviour. The 
conclusion appears to be inevitable, that Christ is Jehovah. 


3 


it could be effectually tried. In like manner, did 
he answer this ruler of the Jews; not by ex- 
pressions of pleasure that one so high in rank and 
influence should make so unexpected and so gra- 
tifying an acknowledgment; not by commending 
him for his profession, and conferring with him 
on the best means of inducing the men in authori- 
ty to follow his example; but by going directly 
to his heart, and touching that weakness which 
made him come, in private, and by night, to pro- 
fess his belief in the Son of God. « Verily, veri- 
ly, lsay unto thee, except a man be born again, 
he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 

It was customary among the Jews, when they 
admitted proselytes from heathenism into the 
Mosaick covenant, to wash or baptize them with 
water; and it was expressly required, that this 
should not be done in the nght, that there might 
be nothing hidden or secret in the profession.— 
The proselytes then laid aside them former gar- 
ments, and put on others which were entirely 
new, changed their names, renounced all the ties 
of natural affinity, and were called and considered 
as new born.* But this baptism was adminis- 
tered only to proselytes, or those born in a 
heathen state, but never to Jews, or those 
born under the Mbosaick covenant.t Hence 
it was that Nicodemus did not understand the 
scope of our Sayiour’s expression. He naturally 


* See Note B. {See Note C. 


6 


supposed that it had some reference to hiniself; 
but, as the figurative sense of a new birth was in 
common language applied only to heathens, it did 
not occur to him ‘that he, who was born a Jew, 
and was, moreover, advanced m years, and eminent 
for his learning and authority, could in any figura- 
tive sense be required to be born again. In this 
perplexity, he asked, “How ‘can a man be born 
when he is old? Can he enter the second time 
into his mother’s womb, and be born?” ‘To this, 
our Saviour replied im the same authoritative 
manner, but with the addition ‘of a few words, 
which were sufficient to show that it was the 
figurative sense of the new birth which he m- 
tended to convey, and that under the gospel 
dispensation it was as applicable to a Jew as toa 
heathen, and to an old person as toa child. “ Ver 
ly, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born 
of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter imto 
the kingdom of God.” 

The expression “ kingdom of heaven,” or 
«kingdom of God,” is used in the seripturés 
to denote the Christian church, or the ‘great 
society of the faithful; and it is used in two Sen- 
ses according to the two states of being in — 
which the church exists. Sometimes, it denotes 
the kmgdom of God on earth, the chureh mili- 
tant; at others, the kingdom of God in heaven, 
the church triumphant. The admission into these 
two states of ‘being of the same society, is ex- 
pressed in the new testament by the same term, 


7 


“regeneration,” or new: birth. Thus in the, 19th 
chapter of St, Matthew, our Saviour says to his 
apostles, “ Verily I say. unto you, That ye which 
haye followed me, in the regeneration, when the 
Son of man shall sit in the throne. of his glory, 
ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the 
twelve tribes of Israel.” The expression “ in the 
regeneration” is here somewhat ambiguous. The 
ancient commentators, almost without, exception, 
understand it to mean the admission into the 
kingdom of glory, or the church triumphant ; and 
hence they explain “in the regeneration,” 
meaning “in the resurrection, when the Son of 
man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also 
shall sit upon twelve thrones,” &c. Among mod- 
ern commentators, there is a greater diversity of 
sentiment; for, while some have sided with the 
ancients, others have understood the regeneration 
in this place as referring to the new state of things 
under the gospel, or, in other words, the kingdom 
of Christ on earth—the Christian church. All 
are agreed, however, that “the regeneration” re- 
fers to the Christian church; they differ only in 
explaining the manner of the apostolick authority ; 
the one understanding it of their authority in the 
church triumphant; the other of their authority 
in the church militant. ’ 
There is but one other passage in which the word 
“regeneration” occurs, and there it undoubtedly 
signifies admission into the kingdom of God, or the 
Christian church, on earth. “ After that the kinc- 


8 


ness and love of God our Saviour toward man ap- 
peared,” says St. Paul, “not by works of righteous 
ness which we have done, but according to his 
mercy he saved us, by the washing of regenera- 
tion, and renewing of the Holy Ghost ; which he 
shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our 
Saviour.”* "The washing or laver of regeneration, 
is baptism—that act by which we are brought 
into the state of regeneration, into the Christian 
church, or kingdom of God, on earth; the renew- 
ing of the Holy Ghost, is the constant influence 
of that Holy Spirit by which our inner man is* 
renewed day by day, and we are prepared, by 
the purification of our bodiesand our souls, for 
that higher state of regeneration which will 
commence at the resurrection—the church trium- 
phant, the kingdom of rest and glory. 

If, then, we bear in mind the extensive sense 
in which the term regeneration is used in the 
scriptures, as denoting admission into the Christian 
church, in its earthly and in its heavenly state of 
being, we shall be enabled clearly to understand 
the meaning of our Savicur, in his remarkable 
declaration to Nicodemus: “ Verily, verily, I say 
unto thee, except a man be born of water, and 
of the Spirit, he camot enter into the kingdom 
of God.” As if he had said, “ Thou art come 
to acknowledge thy belief in my divine mission, 
but thou art come secretly, and by night. In 
thy heart thou believest me to be the Messiah ; 

* Tit, ili, 4—6. 


3 


but thou art afraid of the consequences of an 
open profession of thy belief. This is not the — 
disposition which qualifies thee to be my disciple. 
If thou wilt enter into my kingdom of grace on earth, 
thou must make the same publick profession, 
which a proselyte from heathenism does, when he 
becomesa Jew. Thou must be baptized; baptized 
in the day time and in publick ; bormagain of water. 
Thou must give up all thy worldly connexions, 
if they are opposed to me, and renounce every 
thing which is inconsistent with thy faith. Thow 
must be content to be considered as a new-born 
child, admitted into a new state of being, subject 
to new laws, and connected with me as thy Head 
and Master. But my kingdom extends beyond 
the present, to another world; and if thou wilt 
enter into the kingdom of glory in heaven, thou 
must not only be born of water, butof the Spirit.” 
When a heathen was born again as asa Jew, 
he was washed with water, but his baptism con- 
veyed no promise of any spiritual influences, on 
his heart. In this respect it differed entirely 
from the Christian baptism; for that conveys an 
express, though a conditional promise, of the gift 
of the Holy Spirit. “Repent,” said St. Peter 
to the converted Jews, on the day of pentecost, 
“repent, and be baptized every one of you, in 
the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of 
sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy © 
Ghost. For the promise (namely, ‘the promise 
2 


10 


of the Holy Ghost) is unto: you, and to your 
children, and to all that are afar off, even as 
many as the Lord our God shall call.’"* Hence 
our Saviour added, “ That which is born of the 
flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the 
Spirit is spirit.” That new birth of a heathen 
proselyte, which consists in the mere external 
ceremony of washing the body, is a carnal ordi 
nance, but that new birth of the Spirit, which is 
conditionally promised in the Christian baptism, 
-and which must be effected if you wish to enter 
the kingdom of glory, consists in the purification 
of thesoul.t “ Marvel not’ therefore “that I said 
unto thee, ye must be born again.” The new 
birth of the Christian dispensation, being that of 
the Spirit as well as of water, “ marvel not that I 
said unto thee, ye” Jews by nature “must be 
born again,” as well as the heathens, if you wish 
to enter my kingdom. This purification of the 
body and soul, which the members of my king- 
dom are bound and empowered to accomplish, 
is as necessary for youas for them. 

Our Saviour saw that Nicodemus was in doubt 
and perplexity; and still addressing himself to 
what he knew to be his thoughts, he proceeded'to 
obviate, by an apt similitude, an objection which — 
he perceived had arisen in his mind. “ The wind,” 
said he, “ bloweth where it listeth, and thou hear- 
est the sound thereol, but canst not tell whence it 


* Acts ii. 38. + Note D. 


il 


cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one 
that is born of the Spirit.” In our language, the 
illustration loses much of that beauty and force, 
which it has in the original, where the same 
word denotes both wind and spirit. The wind is 
invisible, and superiour to our control. We know 
nothing of its existence and its operations but by 
its effects. We see the clouds driven by its 
force; we hear it sighing among the leaves of 
the forest ; we feel its refreshing coolness. Some- 
times it seems to be suspended, and we should 
almost doubt of its existence, if we did not per- 
ceive the thistle’s down to be floating gently 
along its current. It is so with the operations of 
the Spirit of God upon the soul of man. We 
know its presence by its effects. We are told 
that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, 
long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meek- 
ness, temperance.”* When we feel these holy 
motions, we may be sure that the Spirit of God 
is breathing upon our hearts. And even when 
the corrupting pleasures and occupations of the 
world have deadened its influence, and all that is 
holy seems to be expiring in the soul, there may 
still be some gentle, undulating motion, some 
solitary and some slight act of goodness, which 
will show that the divine principle of life is not 
wholly spent, that the sinner may yet revive, and 
be saved from everlasting death. 

Such was the illustration which our Saviour 


* Galiy.) 22) 9c: 


12 


gave of his doctrine concerning that new birth 
of the Spirit which must be accomplished in the 
hearts of his disciples before they can enter inte 
the kingdom of glory. But the mind of the Jew- 
ish ruler still remained in doubt. It was a doc- 
trine of which he had not been aceustomed to 
think. It required a complete revulsion in the 
current of opinion. It put to flight his lofty 
notions of pre-eminence. It placed him on a 
leyel with the humble gentile proselyte. It 
made him feel that admission into the kingdom 
of God was a privilege for which he must sue as 
a penitent. And amid the struggles of pride, and 
the conflict of anxious uncertainty, he exclaimed, 
“How can these things be?” To this our 
Saviour replied, by a reproof which was fitted to 
humble him still more. “Art thou a master of 
- Israel, and knowest not these things?” It has 
been well observed by Dr. Campbell, that the 
expression in the original is still more pointed 
than in our translation. “Art thou the teacher of 
Israel, and knowest not these things ?” It is 
probable that the Jews had given the appella- 
tion of “the teacher of Israel” to Nicodemus, 
as a title of honour and distinction. What a 
shame was it for the teacher of Israel, not to 
have informed himself on these subjects! But 
whatever might be the extent of knowledge or 
of ignorance, in this teacher of Israel, our Saviour 
affirmed that he himself spoke from the most 


13 


certain knowledges “ Verily, verily, I say unto 
thee, we speak that we do know, and testify that 
we haye seen; and ye receive not our witness.” 
You acknowledge me to be a teacher come from 
God, and yet what I speak from my actual know- 
ledge, as an eye witness, you refuse to believe. 
“If I have told you earthly things, and ye be- 
lieve not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of 
heavenly things?” If, when I have told you of be- 
mg born again of water and of the Spirit,—things 
which are earthly, the subjects of the senses 
and of mental experience,—ye are still unbeliev- 
ing, how can ye believe me, when! speak to you 
of the nature of God, of things heavenly, things 
which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither 
hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive ? 
Yet I am the only being who am competent to 
do this; for “no man hath ascended up to 
heaven, but he that came down from heaven.” 
That principle of unbelief which leads you to 
doubt even those plainer subjects which you 
cannot perfectly understand, will of course lead 
you to reject what is utterly beyond your com- 
prehension, even though it be asserted by him 
who came down from heaven, and who has 


shown by his miracles that his commission is 
divine. 


I have thus, my brethren, given you a com- 
ment and paraphrase upon the interesting but 


14 


difficult passage, which forms the gospel for 
Trinity Sunday. And though I would not pre- 
sume to say that it is entirely accurate, yet I 
think you will perceive a harmony and consisten- 
cy in its several parts, which afford some evi- 
dence of its truth. I shall make a few a 


upon it, and then conclude. i 


_ Inthe first place, you will perceive how strictly 
conformable to the language of scripture, as well 
as of the primitive Christians, is the baptismal 
office of our church. A certain ill-defined and 
mysterious use of the term regeneration, which 
separates it entirely from all the means of grace, 
and, by fancied analogies to the natural birth, 
converts it into a source of the wildest en- 
thusiasm, has become popular through our coun- 
try. This has led to a misrepresentation of the 
doctrine we profess, and has perhaps been the 
strongest obstacle with which we have had to 


contend. . 
We have seen that the term “ regenera- 


tion,” in the only two places in which it occurs, - 
means a translation from one state of being ‘to 
another ; the admission into the Christian church, 
the kingdom of Christ, existing in a two-fold state— 
onearth andin heaven. The Christian church 
on earth is a state of preparation and discipline ; 
the Christian church in heaven, is a state of re- 
ward and consummation. Into this first state of 
regeneration, on earth, we are are admitted by 


15 


baptism, which is a covenant graciously » made 
between God and us, involving, as every cove- 
nant must, certain conditions. On our side, we 
promise certain duties—repentance, faith, obedi- 
ence; in other words, adeath unto_sin, and a new 
birth unto righteousness. Our heavenly Father, 
on his part, promises certain blessmgs—the for- 
giveness of our sins, the assistance of the Holy 
Spirit to enable us to perform our duty, and a life 
of eternal happimess in heaven. What he hath 
promised, he will most surely keep and perform ; 
let us, then, be but careful to do our part, and 
we shall most certainly be admitted to the high- 
est state of rezeneration—the church in heaven, 
the state of reward, the kingdom of rest and 
glory. ; 

The question has been asked and discussed 
with considerable warmth, whether the Holy 
Spirit always accompanies the outward act of 
baptism with water. But it is one of those 
unprofitable questions, my brethren, which the 
apostle cautions us to avoid, “ knowing that they 
do gender strifes.” Is it not enough for us to 
know that in receiving the “ outwardand visible 
sign” we receive the promise of the “ inward and 
spiritual grace,” and that nothing will make void 
that promise if we are not wanting on our part? 
Our Saviour has told us that “the wind bloweth 
where it listeth;”” can we not be content then to 
let the Holy Spirit operate in his own way, and 


16: 


at his own times, but must we undertake to de- 
termine the mode, and the extent, and the period 
of that, concerning which we know nothing but 
by its effects? Christians! let us rather comply 
with his ordmances and endeavour to do our duty, 
and trust with unlimited confidence in his: holy pro- 
mises. Of this we may rest assured that no um 
righteous person will be admitted into the kingdom 
of Christ and of God; and the declaration of our 
Saviour ought to make every one tremble, “ Not 
every one that;saith unto me, Lord, Lond,—not 
every member of my: church on earth—shall 
enter into the kingdom of heaven—the kingdom 
of glory—but he that doeth the will of my Father 
which is in heaven.” . 


The conduct of Nicodemus affords us, in the 
second place, a subject for much useful reflection. 
How many are there, who, like him, do just enough, 
to quiet their consciences, and forthe sake of retain- 
ing their popularity, or averting some temporal 
evil, abstain from an open profession of that faith 
which they believe in their hearts! The rebuke 
of our Saviour appears to have had its proper in- 
ioe. for he was oftepenbds one of those wile took 
down the body of his crucified Master; thus pro- 
claiming, in the moment of shame, contempt and 
ignominy, his attachment to the person of his 
Saviour. Let those, who, like Nicodemus, have 
hitherto “come by night,” be ready to imitate 


i7 


his better example, by confessing their Lord and 
Master, even in the face of obloquy and derision. 
We have seen that he acknowledged our Sa- 
viour to be a Teacher come from God. As such 
therefore he was bound to receive his testimony, 
and implicitly to believe all that he said whether 
his own knowledge was or was not sufficient to 
perceive its truth. Yet we find him exclaiming 
in the language of doubt and hesitation, * How 
can these things be?” And our Saviour rebukes 
him for his unbelief by saying, * We speak 
that we do know, and testify that we have 
seen; and ye receive not our witness.” It is 
the characteristick, my brethren, of our infirm 
reason, that it becomes delighted with its own 
operations ; and, waxing bold and confident in the 
plenitude of its own powers, it presumes to 
deny what it is unable to comprehend. But 
it deserves to be seriously considered whether 
this is the disposition which will fit us for the 
enjoyment of heavenly bliss; whether God does 
not purposely vail some truths in an awful ob- 
scurity, that he may exercise our faith in his 
word; and whether he does not address us, in 
the language of our Saviour to Nicodemus, « If I 
have told you of earthly things and ye believe 
not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heayen- 
ly things?” Let us then, rely with implicit be- 
lief on the testimony of God, as contained in 
his hely word. Let us remember that in this life, 
we see through a glass darkly. If the glass 
3 


18 


be imperfect, the rays of light may be dis- 
torted, and the most beautiful object may wear 
the semblance of deformity. But in that pure 
and celestial atmosphere in which we hope to 
dwell, that state. of regeneration to which our 
soul aspires, there will be no imperfect medium 
to mar our vision; we shall there see face to 
face, and eye to eye ; we shall there know even 
as. we are known. 


In concluding this discourse, my brethren of 
the clergy will permit me to address a few 
words to them; and though it would ill become 
one who is comparatively a stranger in the dio- 
cese, and so much the inferiour of some of them 
in years and standing in the ministry, to say any 
thing which would seem like an attempt to give 
them instruction, yet as they haye honoured him 
with the character of their preacher, they will 
“suffer,” he trusts, “the word of exhortation.” 

It has been. very strikingly observed, that 
“as man consists of two distinct, yet essential 
parts, so the vices, to which we are prone, respect 
both these parts of our constitution. For we 
may be very free from the vices peculiar to the 
body, and yet extremely addicted to those of the 
mind. The former are more peculiar to the 
vulgar, the latter to the learned and philosophick 
part of our race. By subjection to the one, we 
resemble the brute creation; by obedience to 


19 


the other, the apostate spirits. We ought there- 
fore to be serious, and lay aside all pride and con- 
ceitedness in our understanding, as well as super- 
fluity of naughtiness in our passions, and attend 
with humility and prayer to the things which 
God has revealed concerning himself.”* 

_ We have been called, my reverend brethren, 
too often, to mourn over the examples of those 
unhappy men who have profaned our sacred 
office, by the vices of the body; but let us 
always remember that those of the mind are 
still more insidious in their operations, and 
are productive of more injurious consequences, 
because they are of wider extension. The 
vices of the body, affect only the unhappy indi- 
vidual; the vices of the mind, may poison the 
whole church. From the mental vices have 
arisen all the heresies and schisms which have 
deformed and defaced Christianity. That pride 
and self-sufficiency ; that exaltation of our private 
judgment above the common sense of the church 
universal ; that irregular desire of knowledge, 
which leads us to overleap the barriers of re-’ 
velation, and substitute for the plain testimony of 
God, the speculations of human reason ; have 
been the prolifick sources of enthusiasm on the 
one hand, and of unbelief on the other. Let us 
be careful, then, to avoid all those high and ab- 


* Simpson’s Plea for the Deity of Jesus, edited by Parsons, 
Lond. 1812. p. 15. 


20 


struse subjects, in the pursuit of which our minds 
can find “no end, in wandering mazes lost.” : 


These remarks, my brethren of the laity, will 
not, I presume, appear inapplicable or uninterest- 
ing to yourselves. ‘The repose which we enjoy, 
arises, as I conceive, from the perfect system of 
the worship and ministry of our church, and the 
singular moderation with which our reformers 
avoided the extremes of party. When the minds 
of men are unsettled upon the great doctrines of 
Christianity, there is nothing but confusion and 
every evil work. The fountains of the great 
deep are broken up, and in this deluge of war- 
ring opinions, the ark which is borne tranquilly 
along upon the face of the waters, is the only 
resting place for the soul. 

“The ingenuity of men,” to use the language of 
the late lamented bishop of South Carolina, “the 
ingenuity of men may form new theories, and divers 
schemes of salvation. In the proud exercise of their 
reason, they may think to change principles and 
rectify revelation; or in ages of lukewarmness 
they may suffer fashion to become an arbitress of ' 
opinions, and subject to her capricious influence, 
religious truth. But the counsels and declarations 
of God are unchangeable. They ‘are the same 
yesterday, to-day, and for ever.’ What was the 
only true faith, in the first ages of Christianity, 
is the only true faith now. Human reason can- 


/ 


21 


not have added any thing to the revelations of 
God. Whenever it attempts to mend the work 
of the Almighty, it can only manifest its own pre- 
sumption and feebleness, and must leave those, 
whom it undertakes to guide, in the dangerous 
state of perplexity and disputation. In forming 
our religious opinions, whether with regard to 
doctrinal points, or to the constitution and disci- 
pline of the church, or to the application of prac- 
tical rules, we should have recourse to the sacred 
volume. Here we may drink at the source of 
truth; may derive instruction from the fountain 
head of knowledge. If doubts arise, respecting 
the coincidence, or interpretation of any parts of 
scripture, they should be discussed by the light 
which the primitive church affords. It should 
be a recommendation of a religious opinion that it 
wants novelty; that it is not the offspring of mod- 
ern discovery; for we may be assured, that there 
is but one scheme of salvation, but one gospel of 
truth, and that this scheme was fully received; 
that this gospel was correctly understood, by 
those inspired men to whom the establishment 
and care of the church was first committed. 
Venerable antiquity is, therefore, a characteristick 
of religious truth. In every case, the oldest 
~ opinion in the Christian church is the best. Had 
this principle been adhered to, the existence of 
the holy trinity; the interest of all men in the 
mediation of Christ; the divine origin and distinct 


22 
order of the Christian priesthood, and the final 


administration of a retribution to every man, ac- 
cording to his deeds, would never have been 
called in question. But the human mind is never 
at rest. It has been prone, from the beginning, 
to leave the ways and word of God, and ‘to 
seek out’ for itself ‘many inventions.’ ‘ Be not’ ye, 
brethren, ‘carried about with divers and strange 
doctrines.’ ‘Stand in the ways, and see, and 
ask for the old paths, where is the good way, 
and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your 
souls.’ Recur for your opinions to the sacred 
writings, and to the interpretations and practice 
of the primitive church. These means, together 
with the aid of the Holy Spirit, are the only 
sure means of coming at ‘the faith, once deliver- 
ed to the saints.’ ”* ¥ 


*Bishop Dehon’s Sermons. Vol. ii. Serm. 53, p. 91,92. 


NOTES. 


We 


“O.dumev,—“ It may be a question,” says Lightfoot, ‘‘ whe- 

ther Nicodemus, using the plural number, (we know,) does by 
~ that seem to own that the whole sanhedrin (of which himself 
was a member) acknowledge the same thing. I am apt to 
think, the fathers of the sanhedrin could not well tell how 
indeed to deny it. But ¢:damev may either be the plural 
for the singular, or else we know may signifie as much as, tt 
as commonly owned and acknowledged.’ 

Lampe expresses his surprise that Lightfoot, who is else- 
where sufficiently adventurous in his conjectures, should be 
diffident of his opinion, on no other ground than that the 
plural often signifies what is commonly acknowledged ; 
for he observes that when this conversation took place, 
the subject of our Saviour’s ministry could not have been 
generally known. He therefore thinks that we know did 
not mean that this had become the common opinion, but only 
that the sanhedrim had become convinced in.their own minds. 
s¢ Scrmus. Ita non tantum se, sed etiam alios, seu primores 
seu phariseos de hac veritate convictos esse testatur. Sczre id 
sane poterant ex verbo prophetico, ex testimonio Joannis 
baptiste ; ex ipsis Jesu verbis et factis in conspectu eorum 
prolatis. Et vix dubitandum est, publicas jam instituisse 
synedrium de Christo, an Messias aut verus propheta esset, 
nec ne, consultationes, quibus cum interesset Nicodemus, fa- 
cile sentire potuit, multos ex collegis in conscientia de veritate 
muneris fuisse nihilque stringens in contrarium prolatum fuisse.”” 
Lampe, Comment. Anal. Exeget. Evang. sec. Johan. Tom, 1- 


24 


p- 555. There is no intention, however, in the writer of this 
discourse to attach any importance to this comprehensive in- 
terpretation of the word @:demer, though the sentiment here 
advanced, respecting the corrupt rulers of the Jews, is believed 
to be true. In the 11th verse, our Saviour uses the term 
sidan of himselfalone, but he may have done this with re- 
ference to the expression of Nicodemus, in verse 2, contrast- 
ing thereby more forcibly his knowledge with that of the 
teacher of Israel. 


B. 


The learned, of every name and nation, so generally agree 
in admitting the fact that the practice of baptizing proselytes, as 
a solemn rite of initiation, was common among the Jews before 
the time of our Saviour’s ministry, that to those who have access 
to the writings of Grotius, Selden, Lightfoot, Spencer, Wet- 
stein, Rosenmuller, and others, a simple reference to those 
authors would be sufficient. But, as the whole exposition, in the 
sermon, of ourSaviour’s conversation, rests upon this fact, it 
may be interesting to those who cannot refer to these authorities, 
to see a short summary of the evidence. The excellent dis- 
sertation by Spencer, De purificatione vel baptismo ad initia- 
tionem, in the second volume of his great work, De Legibus 
Hebrzorum, lib. iv. cap. xiii. sec. 1, will give the reader a 
more extended and satisfactory view of the whole question, 

I. As to the fact that such baptism was administered. 

The Jewish expositors of the law assert as with one mouth 
that the whole congregation of Israel were baptized just be- 
fore the law was given upon mount Sinai. ‘This they consi- 
der as commanded by God, in Exodus xix. “ And the Lord said 
unto Moses, Go unto the people and sanctify them to day and 
tomorrow, and Jet them wash their clothes.” Sanctify them : 
DONW Ip kiddashtem, ixx. zal ayuroy aires purify them. 
Comp. Lev. xiv. 8. 9. xvii. 16, &c. Numb. viii. 7, 2 Kings v. 
14. The sanctification or purification here, and wherever else 
it is used in connexion with the washing of their clothes, is 


28) 


invariably understood by the Jews as denoting the baptism or 
washing of their bodies, From Exod. xix. 10. connected with 
Numb. xv. 15. they inferred the necessity of baptizing pro- 
selytes. In the latter passage itis said, one ordinance shal! 
be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger 
that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your genera- 
tions. As ye are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord— 
As therefore the nation of Israel were all washed or baptized 
with water, toprepare them for the reception of the law, so 
the stranger sojourning with them was to be subject to the 
same ordinance. ‘* By three things,” says Maimonides, ‘‘ did 
Israel enter into covenant, by circumcision, and baptism, and 
sacrifice. Circumcision was in Egypt, as it is written, No 
uncircumcised person shalleat thereof, &c. (Exod. xii. 48.) 
Baptism was in the wilderness just before the giving of the 
Jaw; asitis written, Sanctify them to-day and tomorrow, &c. 
(Exod. xix. 10.) and sacrifice ; as it is said, And he sent young 
men of the sons of Israel which offered burnt-offerings, &c. 
(Exod. xxiv. 5.) And so in all ages, when a gentile is willing 
to enter into the covenant and gather himself under the wings 
ot the majesty of God, and take upon him the yoke of the law, 
he must be circumcised, and baptized, and bring a sacrifice ; or 
if it be a woman, be baptized and bring a sacrifice. As it is 
written, As you are, so shall the stranger be. How are you ? 
By circumcision, and baptism, and bringing ofa sacrifice. So 
likewise the stranger (or proselyte) through all generations ; 
by circumcision, and baptism, and bringing of a sacrifice.” 
See Wall. Inf. Bap. Introd. Lightfoot. Hor. Heb. et Talmud. 
Matt. iii. 6. 

II. This baptism of proselytes was required to be in the 
day time, that nothing might be done in secret. For this 
fact the following testimony is adduced by Lightfoot, on Matt. 
iii. 6. and Wetstein, on John iii, 2.—* Megilla ii. 4, © They 
neither circumcise nor baptize till the sun has risen.’—Mai- 
mon. Issure bia. c. 13. ‘It is not customary to baptize in the 
night. If any one should be baptized secretly, he would no 


4 


26 


be accounted a proselyte.’ Pesachim. f. 90. 2. Traditio. 
* Whoever have need of baptism, must be baptized in the day 
time.’-—Jevamoth. fol. 46. 2. ‘ They do not baptize a proselyte 
by night.’ ” . 

III. They were considered as new born.—*‘ Jalkut Ruben- 
ts. fol. 70, 4.‘ Rabbi Jose said : If any one be made a prose- 
lyte, he is like a child new born,’—J evamoth fol. 62. 1. and 92. 
1. ‘Ifany one become a proselyte, he is like a child new born.’ 
Maimon. Issurei Biah. Cap. 14.—‘ The gentile that is made a 
proselyte, and the servant that is made free, behold he is like 
a child new born. And all those relations he had whiles either 
gentile or servant, they now cease from being so. By the 
law it is lawful tor a gentile to marry his mother, or the 
sister of his mother, if they are proselyted to the Jewish re- 
ligion. But the wise men have forbidden this, lest it should 
be said, we go downward, from a greater degree of sanctity 
to a less; and that which was lorbidden yesterday, is allow- 
able to day.’ ”—Wetsten and Lightfoot, on J ohn iii. 3. 


C. 


I. Baptism was administered to the children of proselytes 
who were born before the parents became proselytes, and 
generally at the same time with their parents.—Bab. Cherubd. 
fol. 11. 1. *** They baptize a little proselyte according to 
the judgment of the sanbedrin’; that is, as the gloss renders 
it, ‘If he be deprived of his father, and his mother brings 
him to be made a proselyte, they baptize him (because none 
becomes a proselyte without circumcision and baptism) ae- 
cording to the judgment,’ or rite, ‘ of the sanhedrin, that is, 
that three men be present at the baptism, who are now instead 
of a father to him.’* And the Gemara a little after, ‘If with 
a proselyte .his sons and his daughters are made proselytes 
also, that which is done by their father redounds to their 


* It is worthy of remark in passing, that the practice of having God- 
fathers in the Christian church, is derived from the Jewish. 


27 


good. R. Joseph saith, when they grow into years they may 
retract.’ Where the gloss writes thus, ‘ This is to be under- 
stood of little children, who are made proselytes together 
with their father.” 

II. But though baptism was administered to the children 
born before their parents became proselytes, it was not to the 
children born after that event ; because the parents and their 
future offspring were considered as Israelites, clean from their 
birth and therefore were brought into covenant by circumci- 
sion alone. “‘ Jevam. fol. 78.1. ‘ A heathen woman, ifshe is 
made a proselytess, when she is now big with child, the child 
needs not baptism, for the baptism of his mother serves him for 
baptism.’ ”’—Lightfoot on Matt. iii. 6. and Wall, on Inf. Bap. 
Introd. 

D. 


That exposition of this difficult verse has here been adopted 
which appears to be most consistent with the context and the 
scope of our Saviour’s conversation. The difficulty in this 
passage arises from the various sensesin which the words 
cupz flesh and wvevpa spirit are used in the new testament. 

Zapz when contrasted with ayvevme signifies, 

1. Sometimes the body—in opposition to the soul ; 

2./Sometimes the human nature or man—in opposition to 
the divine nature or God ; 

3. Sometimes the unrenewed or corrupt nature of man—in 
opposition to that purified or renewed nature which is effected 
by the operation of the Holy Spirit on our hearts; and 

4, Sometimes, by a bold metonymy, the Mosaick dispensa- 
tion, on account of its numerous external observances, and its 
containing no provision of pardon or grace,—in opposition to 
the Christian or gospel dispensation, the observances of which 
relate principally to the state of the soul, and which conveys - 
to all who embrace its offers and observe its conditions, that 
spiritual strength which is adequate to the saving of the soul. 

Schleusner understands the passage in question, as refer- 


28 


ring to the inquiry of Nicodemus (y. 4.) ** How can a man 
be born-when he is old ? Can he enter the second time into his 
mother’s womb, and be born ?”” In allusion to this, our Sa- 
viour, he thinks, answers thus: That which is born of man is 
man, or is endowed with the human nature and condition on- 
ly. ‘* Quicunque enim natus est ex hominibus, homo est, seu 
natura et conditione humana quoque preeditus est.” Schleus. 
v. cpg T. ii. p. 837. But when this writer’s exposition of the 
last member of the sentence is examined, it will be found that 
the antithesis is not preserved. ‘* To be born of the Spirit,” he 
says, ‘‘ is to be changed for the better, or thoroughly amended 
by the aid ofthe Christian religion : ope religionis Christiane 
in melius mutari et prorsus emendari.” v. xvevye. 17.) T. ii. p. 
603. So again—‘‘ro yeyewapeévev tx TOO mvevmares meoue est QUI 
est per religionem Christianam emendatus is etiam ita sentit, 
vult, et agit, ut postulat religio Christiana, seu est avevpearix’s.”” 
He thinks, wills, and acts as the Christian religion demands, 
or is a spiritual man. Ib, 22,) p. 606. The first member of the 
sentence, he interprets in the second of the above senses ; the 
last member in the fourth sense. According to his interpreta- 
tion of the first member, if the proper antithesis be preserved, 
our Saviour would be made to say, That which is born of 
man is man—that which is born of God is God ; which can be 
said only of Christ in his divine nature. According to his in- 
terpretation of the last member, the antithesis is to be pre- 
served, only by understanding the first, of the Mosaick dispen- 
sation. The new birth, under the Mosaick dispensation, is 
flesh, that is, only an outward or carnal ordinance. Thenew 
birth of the gospel, is spirit, or contains an inward and spiri- 
tual grace. 

This agrees in substance with the third sense of the words 
cup and mvevua, the unrenewed nature of man contrasted 
with his renewed nature, or the natural life contrasted 
with the spiritual life. Lampe, who interprets the pas- 
sage in this sense, and rejects the meaning adopted by 
Schleusner, of the first member of the sentence, admits 
that they who understand the term flesh, as referring to 
the Mosaick dispensation, do not differ in substance from 


29 


those who like himself adopt the third sense. His words are 
these: “ quidam etiam involvi posse putant 2lam notionem 
carnis qua Judaismum denotatin lege carnali occupatum car- 
nisque bonis adherentem.’’ After mentioning the passages of 
scripture which support this interpretation (Isai. xl. 6, Heb. 
vii. 16. ix. 10. Gal. iii. 3.) he adds ‘‘ Hoc cum precedents 
(that is, the third sense, the carnal or unrenewed—and spiri- 
tual or renewed nature) conjungere nulla absurditate laborat, 
cum salvator alloqueretur Phariseum in carne illa impense glo- 
riari adsuetum. Utrumque etiam proculdubio caro preputii 
per circumcisionem tollenda adumbravit.”? Lampe Comment, 
vol. 1. p. 570. 


THE author having been desirous to render the following 
dissertation as extensively useful as possible, and at the same 
time to guard against the impression that it was designed only 
for a particular class of readers, has, in most of the quotations, 
inserted his own translation in the text, and placed the origi- 
nal words of the author in the margin. For the sake of the 
unlearned reader, it seemed better to err in explaining too 
much, than too little; and to the learned, it will doubtless be 
more satisfactory to examine the original, than to rely on the 


fidelity or accuracy of the translator. 


APPENDIX. 


THE nature of regeneration and the mode of its 
connexion with baptism, have for some time been 
made the occasion of mtemperate, and even 
of acrimonious contention. Such a state of things 
is extremely unfavourable to the influence of re- 
ligion either upon the affections or the under- 
standing. When the passions of menare excited, 
there 1s great danger that amid their wild u 
roar the voice and the form of truth will be 
unheeded; that a more diligent search will be 
made for variations, than for coincidences of sen- 
timent; that differences which affect not the 
main points of Christianity will be magnified; 
that the opinions of the several opponents will be 
distorted; and that they, who commenced the 
discussion as friends, will terminate it as enemies. 

But moderation is the characteristick of the 
Protestant Episcopal church; and, as in all her 
offices and expositions of scripture she has drunk 
at the well-spring of pure and primitive antiquity, 
it becomes her sons to pursue the same conduct 
with regard to the subject in question, and in the 
unity of spirit and the bond of peace, to search 
for truth above the turbid stream of modern con- 
troversy. 

The great source of disagreement a pears to 
have been the want of a proper definition of 
terms. ‘The same word has been used to desig- 
nate a different connexion of ideas. The several 


32 


combatants haye taken for granted that their 
own expositions of scripture language are strictly 
correct; that no modifications of expression could 
harmonize apparent differences ; and, assuming 
such premises, they have argued against the con- 
clusions of their adversaries, on the ground of 
their absurdity. 

To avoid this prolifick occasion of discord, the 
first step then is to define our terms; and since 
it would be but lost labour to use any words in a 
different sense from that in which they were em- 
ployed by the sacred writers, our greatest care 
in this definition must be to learn what they meant 
by the word regeneration. 

This is to be done according to the obvious rules 
of interpretation. 

First. By determining, if we can, what was the 
ordinary sense affixed to it in the age and country 
in which the sacred writers lived. ~ 

Secondly. By examining the passages of the new 
testament in which it occurs, in connexion with the 
author’s train of thought or argumentation. And 

Thirdly. By comparing at the same time, the 
several ancient and modern versions and com- 
mentators, to see whether any, and if any, what 
diversities of interpretation have existed in the 
Christian church. 


I. We have but few’helps to determine the 
ordinary sense in which the term was used by 
the Jews in the time of our Saviour and his 
apostles. The noun xadnyyesciz, regeneration, 1s not 
to be found either in the septuagint version of 
the old testament, or in the apocrypha. The 
verb xaaw yivoust, however, occurs in that remarka- 
ble passage of the book of Job, (chap. xiy. v. 14,) 
in which the patriarch expresses his confidence, 
that he shall rise from the dead. “Ifa mandie, 


33 
shall he live again? All the days of my ap- 


pointed time will I wait till my change come.— 
v. 15. Thou shalt call and I will answer thee : 
thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine 
hands.” The Hebrew word *xay ¢seba-7, which 
is rendered in our translation, “ my appointed 
time,” signifies literally “my warfare, military 
service or station.” It is thus rendered in the 
targum °° hheli, my warfare; and in the Vul- 
gate, diebus quibus milito, all the days in which I 
war, my malitant state. ,'The question at the be- 
ginning of the verse is an expression, not of doubt, 
but of joyful admiration. Shall man live though 
he die ? Then, says the patriarch, will I pa- 
tiently wait, or firmly hope,* during my mortal 
life, my state of warfare, until my change, reno- 
vation, or renewed existence come.t The change 
or renovation of which Job speaks, is that hap- 
py change of state or condition which would be 

is at his resurrection from the dead. This 
passage is thus expressed in the version of the 
ixx. or although a man die shall he live when 
he hath accomplished the days of his hfe? I wiil 
patiently endure, UNTIL 1 SHALL BE BORN AGAIN.— 
Then thou wilt call, and I will give heed to thee.t 
The context shows that by the regeneration or 
new birth, the translators meant that happy 


*Heb. 31S aya-hhel from Pih. OM firmiter speravit. 


t Heb. MEO NII gnad-bo hhalé-pha-thé. Until my 
renovation or renewed existence come; a revivification like 
the sprouting of a tree which had been cut down to the root. 
See y. 7th, where the verb occurs, and Parkhurst and Simon 


inv. »5n. 


[Ea yop amodayy evSpamos myts Cnrerat, rwvTeAcras imepees 
Te Bis adTy; “Yromea tas av rary yerauat, Vi 15. Eire naaerelss 
sya Of Tol Umunovromct. 


D 


34 


change of state or condition which would take 

lace at the resurrection of the body.* ee 

‘Philo, the Alexandrian Jew, who was contem- 
porary with our Saviour, calls the new state of 
the world, after the deluge, a regeneration— 
Speaking of the family of Noah, he says, “ Not 
only they themselves and their race were pre- 
served, having escaped from the greatest perils, 
but they became also the rulers of the regenera- 
tion 5 WaAalyysvertas eyevovTo 1 VEOVES. Philo de vita Mosis.. 
L. u. T. 2. p. 144, 31, apud Wetstem, vol. 1, 
p- 452.t - In another treatise, he asks the ques- 
tion, “ Where will the soul dwell after death ?’”” 
To which he replies: “ We shall not be such as 
when united to our bodies, but shall depart info 
the regeneration, («5 mertyyeveriev) being united with 
incorporeal substances. De cherubim, T. 1. p. 
139, 40. ap. Wetst. ubi. sup. Philo here evi- 
dently considers the future life, the life after 
death, as the state of regeneration; and when 
he uses the same expression to denote the state 
of the world atter the deluge, it is only in that 
metaphorical sense by which we often apply the 
term resurrection to the renovation or renewed 
existence of an empire. 


* The translation of Aquila and Theodotion is more like 
the Vulgate and English translation: eas tas av cAdy to 
wrruyna 28,1 will hope until my change come. The transla- 
tion of Symmachus is very remarkable; és a» eadn 9 dyie 
Qorig ws. Until my holy nature come. That resurrection 
which the xx. express by the figure of being born again, is 
called by Symmachus, the coming of man’s holy nature, when 
this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal 
shall put on immortality. 


+ Clemens Rom, uses the word waaryyeveore in the same 
sense. Epist. i. ad. Cor. cap. ix. Ed. Wotton, p. 42,—Cote- 
ler. Patr, Apost. Ed. Clerici. vol. 1. p, 153. 


35 


Josephus in like manner speaks of the future 
state in his second book against Apion. “To those,” 
says he, “ who keep the law, and, if necessity re- 
quire, willingly die for it, God hath granted to 
be born again and receive in return a_ better 
life’”** "The same author speaks of the Jews 
after their return from the Babylonish captivity, 
as celebrating by a feast their political regenera- 
tion. “They continued their rejoicings forseyen 
days celebrating the renewed possession and _ re- 
generation of their country by a feast.”t In this 
mstance, as well as in that quoted from Philo, 
the expression is evidently metaphorical, derived 
from the primary idea of a future state of exis- 
tence. 

The opinions of the Greeks with regard to 
the state of the soul after death appear to have 
been very unsettled; but it is worthy of remark, 
that, according to the Pythagorean system of 
transmigration, the same soul was supposed to 
animate the same body, after the revolution of a 
certainnumber of years; and that this new forma- 
tion and re-union was denominated the regenera- 
tion. Such is the account which St. Augustin 
_ gives from Marcus Varro. After mentioning the 
opinions of Plato and Porphyry respecting the 
state of the soul after death he adds the follow- 
ing words of that author. “Certain astrologers, 
says Varro, have written that when men are born 
again, that takes place which the Greeks call 
manyyeeria, regeneration ; namely that in 440 years, 
the same body and soul which had been formerly 
* eDanevo Seog yever Sct Te HAW, wack Blov meena AzGewv ex wepirpo= 


ag. Joseph. cont. ApionemsII. 30. Opera ed. Oberthur, 
Tae. pa) 276. 


| marryyevertov Tg morpides copracevtss. Antiq. xi 3. 9, 
Opera. ut sup. vo}. ii. p. 22. 


36 


united in a man, return to the same conjunction.” 
Hence St. Augustin infers, that if the opinions of 
Plato, Porphyry and Varro were put together, and 
so modified, by accepting the truth, and rejecting 
the errour, of each, as to make them harmonize, 
the result would be, the Christian doctrine of the 
resurrection of the body, and its re-union with the 
soul. We have nothing more to do with St. 
Augustin’s argument, than to notice the assertion ~ 
from Varro, that the re-union of the same soul 

and the same body after death, was considered © 
by the Greeks as a new birth, and that the usual 

appellation to denote this renewal of existence, 

Was raayyeeriz, regeneration. If, then, the Greeks 

usually meant by the term zaauyyereciaty regeneration, 

this re-union of soul and body after death, itis easy 

to perceive, that when adopted by the Jews, its 

meaning would naturally be so modified, as to de- 

note the resurrection of the bedy and its re-union 

with the soul, according to the scriptures. Hence, 

in the primary and proper sense of the term, as- 

used by the Jews in the time of our Saviour and 

his apostles, saryyeecta, regeneration, and avararisy 

resurrection, were considered as synonymous; or if 

any shade of difference existed in their meaning, 

mamyyeccia, regeneration, denoted that state of be- 

ing, of which acess, resurrection, was the inci- 

pient period. It was used in a metaphorical 

sense only whenit was applied to denote any very 

great change or improvement of state or condi- 

tion in this world. 


II. When we come to the New Testament, we 
find but two passages in which the word is em- 
ployed: St. Matt. xix. 28. and Titus im. 5. 


tGenethliaci quidam scripserunt, inquit, esse in renascen- 
dis hominibus quam appellant rxa:yyeveotav Graeci: hance scrip- 
serunt confici in annis numero quadringentis quadraginta, ut 
idem corpus et eadem anima que fuerint conjuncta in ho- 
mine aliquando eandem rursus redeant in conjunctionem, Aug. 
de Ciy. Dei. Lib. xxii. c. 28, 


37 


In the passage from the epistle to Titus, it is 
evident from the context that the regeneration 
is to be understood in the metaphorical sense. 
St. Paul, after describing in the first chapter the 
profligacy of the Cretans, exhorts Titus in the 
second, to see that he himself, and all the mem- 
bers of the church under his care, according to 
their several relations and oflices, should in every 
respect adorn the doctrine of our Saviour God 
by the purity of their lives. (Titus 11. 1—10.) 
He then clearly distinguishes two appearances or 
manifestations (cava); the first, the appear- 
ance, or manifestation of the grace of God (exeQavy 
4 Mepis Tov Oeov vn cwryptos Waciy cevSparais ) ; the second, the 
appearance or manifestation of the glory of 
our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, (ea- 
Davein tug dokys Tov meyers Ses nat cwTypes Amway In7e Xpiss.) 
The mantfestation of grace offers salvation to all 
men, teaching them to deny ungodliness and 
worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and 
godly in the present life, age, state, or world: (# 
7» wy aia.) ‘This the apostle itimates, is the 
great object for which the manifestation of grace 
was made; since our great God and Saviour 
Jesus Christ gave himself for us for no other 
purpose, than to redeem us from all iniquity, and 
purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of 
good works. If we accomplish this object, by 
leading such a holy life, we may then expect the 
blessed object of our hope, the second manifesta- 
tion, namely that of the glory of our great God 
and Saviour, (Titus 1. 11—15.) The apostle 
continues, in the third chapter, to require Titus 
to put the Christians under his charge in mind of 
the various virtues of the Christian life; and he 
enforces especially the duty of quietness, for- 
bearance, and meekness towards all men, from 
the humbling consideration, that before their con- 
version to Christianity, they were of the same 


38 


profligate character with their heathen and Jew- 
ish neighbours, (chap. iii. 1—3.) It was not 
therefore on account of any works of righteous- 
ness which they had done, but a gratuitous act 
of mercy, that when the kindness and _philan- 
thropy of our Saviour God appeared, or was 
manifested, (exedar) ; in other words, when the first 
manifestation of grace offering salvation to all 
men was made, he saved us by the fountain or 
laver of regeneration and the renewing of the 
Holy Ghost* which he poured forth upon us rich- 
ly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, that being 
justified by his grace, we should be made or born 
(yewue9x) heirs according to the hope of everlast- 
ing life. In chap. i. 13. those who under the 
first manifestation, that of grace, live soberly, 
righteously, and godly in this present life, are 
said to be expecting, or waiting for the blessed 
hope, namely, the manifestation of the glory of 
Christ. Inthe present verse, those who have 
been saved by the fountain of the regeneration, 
and by the renewing of the Holy Ghost, and are 
justified by grace, are born heirs according to the 
hope of everlasting life. The hope of everlast- 
ing life, and the hope of the manifestation of the 
glory of Christ, appear to be convertible terms; 
and as they who are thus born, are only in a 
state of hope of the mamfestation of glory, it 
follows that the regeneration here spoken of is 
not to be understood inits primary and proper 
signification, of a resurrection to eternal life, but 
in the secondary or metaphorical signification, of 
a change of state or condition in the present life, 
(cv rw vv eww.) It is connected with the manifes- 
tation of grace, not the manifestation of glory. 


* The great bible of 1539, or what is usually called arch- 
bishop Cranmer’s bible,.renders this passage thus: ‘ by the 
fountayne of the new byrth, and with the renuynge of the 
Holy Gost ” 


39 


The expression in St. Matthew xix. 28, is not 
so clear as it is in Titus iii. 5; for it is somewhat 
uncertain whether the term regeneration refers 
to the state of grace or the state of glory. That 
it refers to one or the other of these, will be 
evident from the context. 

Our Saviour had put a rich but covetous young 
man to the severe test of selling his estate on 
earth and becoming his follower, on the faith of 
his promise, that he should have a future treasure 
in heayen. And upon his not abiding this test, 
Jesus was led to reflect upon the difficulty with 
which a rich man, or, as it is explained in the 
parallel passage, St. Mark x. 24, one who trusted 
or confided in his riches, would enter into the 
kingdom of heaven. The disciples, greatly as- 
tonished, exclaimed, Who then can be saved? 
With men, said our Saviour, it is impossible, but 
with God all things are possible. ‘This led St. 
Peter to ask the question with regard to the 
twelve disciples, who had forsaken all their 
worldly goods and temporal occupations, and fol- 
lowed him, what should be their portion. To this 
our Saviour replied, “ Verily I say unto you, that 
as for you my followers, in the regeneration when the 
Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye 
shall also sit upon twelve thrones, judging, or ruling 
over, the twelve tribes of Israel.”* It is evident, 
from the context, that the regeneration must here 
be connected with the kingdom of heaven or king- 
dom of God, mentioned in yy. 23 and 24. It is 
difficult, said our Saviour, for a rich man, for one 
who, like this youth, puts so much trust in his 
riches, as to be unwilling to relinquish them for 


; ee < 
= Auny rey Ue, OTk Upels ob AnonouSucavres rol, EY TH Wartyyeveria 
Cray xasizn o uses Tou avSpwmou ems Spoyou doknc avrou, xadiverSe nas 


vyts et dadexa Spovous, xpivevres ras dadena guaas rou Iopana. 


40 

my sake, to enter into the kingdom of God.— 
What then, asked St. Peter, shall be our case? 

Oe 6 le is : fe! ike “nt 
(+ apa eorat iu); we have given up all for thy sake. 
How then will it be with regard to our entrance 
into the kingdom of God? In the regeneration, 
replied our Saviour, ye shall sit upon twelve 
thrones, &c. The answer would not meet the 
question, if the regeneration were not connected 
with the kingdom of God. It must either signify 
the icipient act of admission into the kingdom 
of God, or the state of being itself. In thelatter 
case it is evident that it would be a conyertible 
term. A 
A corroboration of this inference may be de- 
rived from the twenty-ninth verse compared 
with the parallel passages, St. Mark x. 29, 30, 
and St. Luke xvin. 29, 30. “Every one,” says our 
Saviour, “ that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, 
or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or chil- 
dren, or lands, for my name’s sake, (St. Mark, for 
my sake and for the sake of the gospel, St. 
Luke, for the sake of the kingdom of God,) shall 
receive an hundred fold (St. Mark and St. Luke, 
how in this present time, « te xaipw zxrw) and shall 
inherit everlasting life: (St. Mark and St. Luke, 
and in the world to come, av Te ctlays Te Epropeeren 
eternal or everlasting life.) Our Saviour here 
speaks of a two-fold reward, to those who give 
up worldly advantages for his sake, or the sake 
of the kingdom of God, first, in this present time, 
and secondly, in the world to come—the future 
age, state, or life. If this be compared with the 
passage from the epistle to Titus, it will be seen 
to correspond exactly with the two manifesta 
itons of which the apostle there speaks, the first 
of grace, and the second of glory.. The kingdom 
of God on earth,-the gospel dispensation, the 
state, or manifestation of grace, the church mili- 


41 


tant, are all convertible terms to signify the same 
state of being, of which our Saviour speaks, as 
offering an hundred fold for all the worldly priva- 
tions of its members. The kingdom of God in 
heaven, the state or manifestation of glory, the 
church triumphant, are also terms to express 
that everlasting life, that future state, the re- 
wards of which cannot, like those of the present 
time, be counted. The first of these states of 
being, the church or kingdom of God on earth, 
commenced from the resurrection of our Sa- 
viour, who was the first begotten from the dead. 
The second, will begin at the final resurrection of 
the righteous.* If, then, the regeneration, men- 
tioned in St. Matthew xix. 28, be understood in 
the metaphorical sense, as meaning a great change 
of state or condition in the present world, it must 
have relation to the church militant, or the state 
of grace; but if it be understood in its proper 
sense, as meaning that change which will take 
place at the resurrection of the righteous, it 
must have respect to the church triumphant, 
or the state of glory. Accordingly, in the one 
-or the other of these two senses, has it been 
interpreted by all commentators, ancient and 
modern. Those who have understood the pre- 
ceding expressions of our Saviour as denoting 
the difficulty with which rich men were led 
to embrace the gospel, and become the fol- 
lowers of Jesus, on account of the prive ‘ions 
and hardships which attended its first pro- 


*T have here purposely avoided the question respecting 
the intermediate state, from a wish not to encumber the sub- 
ject and distract the attention of the reader. Properly speak- 
ing, the members of the church or kingdom of God are in three 
states of being: 1. Onearth. 2. While the soul and bod 
are separated. 3. The final consummation of bliss, both in 
body and soul, in the everlasting kingdom. 


42 


mulgation, have interpreted the regeneration as 
meaning the commencement, or the continued 
existence, of the Christian state, the gospel dis- 
pensation, the church on earth, or other equiva+ 
lent expressions. ‘Those, on the contrary, who 
have understood the language of our Saviour as 
implymg the peculiar dangers of the rich with 
regard to their eternal salyation, have mterpreted 
the word regeneration in the sense of a resurrec- 
tion to eternal lile.* 


*T have been inclined to consider ‘ the regeneration,” 
spoken of in Matthew xix. 28, as a synonyme of * the king- 
dom of God ;”’ and as denoting therefore, not merely the re- 
surrection, but the state of being which will follow it. My 
reason for it is this, that the reward promised by our Saviour - 
to his disciples ‘‘ in the regeneration, when he should sit upon 
the throne of his glory,” would be but of short duration, if 
confined merely to the final resurrection, and the solemnities 
of the last judgment. This.would, as it seems to me, be 
inconsistent with the antithesis in the parallel passages 
of St. Mark and St. Luke, in which their reward in the 
future state is represented as infinitely transcending that of 
the present. But how could the reward be considered in 
this light, if it is to consist merely in being assessors with 
Christ at the day of judgment, for the purpose of judg-. 
ing, or convicting and condemning the nation of Israel. 
_The expression ‘‘ judging Israel,”’ is often used in the old 
testament to denote the government of the nation for a series 
of years. Tola judged (Heb. ODw%) xx. expwe) Israel twenty 
three years ; Jair, twenty two; Samson and Eli, twenty ; 
Samuel, all the days of his life. See Judges passim and 
1 Sam. iv. 18. vii. 6, 15, 16. vili. 6. The same word ((2)') 
is used to denote the regal authority (1 Sam. viii. 6.) which 
was used in the preceding period to denote the authority of the 
Judges ; and this word is generally rendered in the Greek, 
by the word xpww, and sometimes by its synonyme dixelo— 
if, then, the term “* regeneration’’ mean in this place the king- 
dom of glory ; and if the expression ‘sitting upon twelve 
thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel,’? mean the apos- 
tolick pre-eminence in that kingdom; then our Saviour’s promise 
would be, that the disciples, who had in the present state for- 
saken all worldly advantages to become his followers, ‘should, 


43 * 


III. Among the ancient translations, the Vul- 
gate, being strictly literal, affords no proof of the 
sense in which the term was understood by the 
translator. We learn, however, from St. Jerom’s 
commentary on St. Matthew, how he understood 
it; for he explains the passage thus: “ When 
from corruption, the dead shall arise incorrup- 
tible, then shall ye also sit as judges, con- 
demning the twelve tribes of Israel, because 
though you believed, they would not believe.”* 
-All the antehieronymian versions, as they are 
exhibited by Sabatier and Blanchini, have the 
same or nearly the same translation as the yul- 


asa reward, in the kingdom of glory bear sway over the 
spiritual Israel. 

It will be readily admitted tbat this is not the primary sig- 
nification of the word “ regeneration ;” but any one accustom- 
ed to mark the fluctuations of meaning in words, will not be 
suprised at a metonymy by which the same’ word is made to 
denote not only the entrance into a state of being, but the 
state of being itself.t This appears to be the sense in.which 
the word waaryyeverra, regeneration, isused by Philo in the 
passages above cited. Traces of the same meaning will, I think, 
be perceived by the reader in some of the authorities which will 
hereafter be quoted. In like manner, the word xaawroxe, 
which is evidently a synonyme with eveyewaeis and waavyye- 
verte, is used by Isidore of Pelusium to denote the Christian 
church. [eas 0 pimporepos ev 7H Pariasice Twv ovpavav, TouTESty, Ev- 
TN ware Kplsoy WaAlToxkee KEICWY ESIY TOD EV VoKew OlnaiwDeVvTos, EmEIOy 
ovdev erersinzev a vous. Every one who is less in the kingdom of 
heaven, THAT IS, IN THE CHRISTIAN REGENERATION, is greater 
than he who is justified by the law, because the law hath made 
nothing perfect. Lib. i. epist. Ixviii. p. 21. Suiceri Thes. 
p. 554, 

**« Quando ex mortuis de corruptione resurgent incorrupti, 
sedebitis et vos in soliis judicantium, condemnantes duodecim 
tribus Israel quia yobis credentibus, illi credere noluerunt.” 
Opera. ed. Bened. Tom. iv, col. 90. , 


SS 


t Castalio has the following remark on the use of the word “ resurrec= 
tion” in Luke xiv. 14. “Ut ambulatio, ccenatio, gestatio non actionem 
semper significant, sed locum ubi ambuletur, ccenetur, &c. sic hoc Juco, 
et alibi, resurreclio non resurgendi aclionem declarat, sed eum vite slatum 
qui fulurus est cum resurrexerint boni.” - ; 


44 
gate, excepting the codex Brixiensis, which in- 


stead of in regeneratione, reads in resurrectione, — 

The Syriack version (Peshito) translates # 
Gn Rarvyyeveria by i y) we Pots Be-gnalmo hhadtho, ‘ 
which is literally, “in the new age, state, life, or 
world;” (%\v gnolmo, the emphatick state of the 
noun SoX gnolam, having all the varied senses of 


the Hebrew odny gnolam, and therefore corres- 
hex uke exactly with the Greek am, age, state, 
ife, or world. According to the Jewish rabbini- 
cal phraseology, the expressions mim Dyn Ha- 
gnolam Haz-zeh and xan Onyn Ha-gnolam Hab- 
ba, “the present world, age, or life,” and “the 
world, age, or life to come,” denoted the present 
state, of trial, and the future state of reward.* 
Corresponding with these expressions, are those 
which so often occur in the new testament, of 
IBY GUTOS, CLIGIV EVES WS, © VOY EIV—mANC celmy pEAAWV, 0 cLOY 6 EPYORLEVOS, 
&c. See Matt. xii. 32. xii. 40. Mark x. 40. 1 
Cor. 1. 20. i. 6, 7, 8. 11. 18. Gal. 1. 4. Eph. i. 21. ii. 7. 
Heb. vi.5. If, then, the Syriack translators meant 
by the new world or age, the world to come, the 
glorified state of the gospel dispensation, they 
agree with the ancient commentators in general, 
that the zearyevers « or regeneration, is that change 
which takes place at the manifestation of glory, 
or, as Is generally believed, at the final resurrec- 
tion. Ii they did not mean this, they could have 


*I have avoided, for the same reason that was given ina pre- 
ceding noie, the consideration of the questions raised about the 
precise meaning of a:wy as applied to the time of the Messiah’s 
reign. Schleusner has cautiously done the same, though he ap- 

ears in general to have adopted the sentiments of Koppe who 
allows that the age to come, the daysef the Messiah, and theking - 
dom of heaven, are synonymes, but maintains that they refer, 
not to the invisible reign of Christ, as it now exists, but to a 
future visible reign, upon earth, of great splendour and 
majesty, preceded by the resurrection of some of the dead, 
but prior, to the resurrection of al] men at the day of judg- 
ment, 


45 


meant no other than the new state or age, the 
kingdom of Christ on earth, compared with the 
old state or age, the Mosaick dispensation. In 
either sense, therefore, their expression shows 
that they considered the regeneration, and the 
Christian church, either militant or triumphant, 
as convertible terms. 

Origen explains the xaayyeeor, regeneration, as 
meaning here the resurrection from the dead. 
“They who are followers of the Saviour shall sit 
upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes 
of Israel. And this power they shall receive at 
the resurrection of the dead; tor this is the re- 
generation, being a kind of new birth, when a 
new heaven and anew earth will be created, and 
a new covenant with its cup delivered to those 
who have renewed themselves. But to this re- 
generation, that is preparatory, which is called 
by Paul the laver of regeneration, (‘Titus i. 5.) 
and to this renovation, that is also preparatory, 
which is annexed to thelaver of regeneration 
by the ‘renewing of the Spirit.’ For as it re- 
spects our birth, perhaps no cne 1s pure from de- 
filement, not even if his life be but for a single 
day, on account of the mystery respecting our 
generation ; with regard to which every one 
who is born may say what was said by David in 
the fiftieth psalm: ‘Behold I was shapen in 
iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive 
me.* But as it respects the regeneration by 
the laver, (xara de THY Ex AovTpov marly'yeverseey, ) every one 
is purified from defilement, who is born again of 
water and of the Spirit; purified, if 1 may sc 
speak, ‘through a glass darkly,’ (1 Cor. xi. 12.) 


As it respects the other regeneration, when the 


*In the version of the xxx. the 9th and 10th psalmsas they 
stand in the Hebrew, are united and reckoned as the 9th. 
Hence the 50th psalm, in that version and in the Vulgate, is 
the 51st psalm, in the Hebrew, and in the English translation. 


46 


Son of man shall sit wpon the throne of his glory, 
every one who attains to that regeneration in 
Christ shall be entirely purified from defilement, 
“face te face, when by the laver of the regene- 
ration, heshall have attained to that other re- 
generation. If you wish to know what that 
laver is, attend to what John, who baptized with 
water unto repentance, says concerning the Sa- 
viour: namely, ‘ He shall baptize you with the | 
Holy Ghost and with fire. (Matt. uz 11.) In 
the regeneration, therefore, which is by the layer, 
we are buried with Christ; for we are buried 
with him, according to the apostle, by baptism; 
but im the regeneration of that laver which is by 
the fire and Spirit, we become ‘ fashioned, like 
unto the glorious body’ of Christ, (Phil. mi. 21.) 
as he sits on the throne of hisglory. And we 
also shall sit upon twelve thrones, if, forsaking all 
things, we have, in every way, but especially 
by the laver, followed thee.”* 


* Of roiuv cxorovSnruvres Tw CHTnpt uaSedovvTat emt Owoexe 
Spovovs, xpivovtes Tas 16 Duaas te Irpana, ua Tavtav Amlovrat Tp 
eZouriay ev Th avasarel TV vexpan’ @UTH Yup Es H maAryyeveria 
wolvn TIS YEVETIG ovT&, OTE oUpcves melvOs, nal m yn Kalin Tols 
avtous avanawarart xTiCeT ol, noet nocivy Oinbnuy WeepLowor eet, root TO 
Wornptoy avr7zs. 

exelng O€ TUS moallyevertas Wpootetoy est, To xaerovsvoy Mapa Tay 
Tlavaw AovT pov waarrlryever tees. wal exelyns THS ualVOTUHTOS To e7rbDe porevov 
TH rovt pw Tug waArlyeveTing ev Tw aVALaMTEWS mVEvmTOS. Tee 
Of nal nate mev THY yeveriv ovdels tsk uaSapos cero pumrov, oud’. es mse 
auespe ey i Con cevtov, dia Fo wept THs ‘yeverews vsyplov, ED H TO 
imo Tov Aabsd ev mevtyxosm Parmer AcAcypevo Exasos Mevray e1g YEVER 
ow EAnAVIoTAY Agvet, EXoY CUTMS’ OT EV civopesels CuVEAnOSyv, oes EV 
cemnprinis exirrnre Me  UnTA2 Mov naTH De THY ex AovTPOY M®aAly- 
YVEVETlCLV, Tees EV HeeDcepr%G como pumoD, a yewyels aevatev *& Udatos nat 
BVevpeTos, ive TANT as EImar. nxDcPos Ob EWomTpoU, wet EV cLIVEY LATE” 
nate Oe Tyy LhANVY WAMY'YEVErIaV, OTAY REMITNS Uieg Tov avSpamov emt 
Spovov dons AUTOV, TUS O E15 THY Ev Xplis@ marry yeverioan Exesyny D3 a- 
ous, nxSapwtares tel amo purrou Tprsramov Tpos Wporwwov, nett LvT Os 
Otc AdVT pou Wary ever bas D3 avey x EXELVyY TYVY WAALYVEVETLAY. Ey de 
Bovass To AouTpov Exeiwvo vonras, cuvss mas laaveng a Y ddaTs Bam 


47 


Origen here clearly distinguishes between the 
two regenerations; the one, commencing when we 
are admitted into the church militant by bap- 
tism; the other, when, at the resurrection, we 
shall enter into glory; the one, imperfect, like 
seeing in a glass darkly; the other, perfect, like 
seeing face to face ; the one, preparatory, consist- 
ing in purifying our souls and bodies from the de-" 
filements of sin; the other, final, when sin and 
death are destroyed. . 

St. Augustin, in like manner, speaking of the 
last judgment, in his book, De civitate Dei, says 
of our Saviour’s expression, “ in the regeneration,” 
* Without doubt our Saviour meant that the re- 
surrection of the dead should be understood by 
the term regeneration; for, as our soul is re- 
generated by faith, so shall our flesh be regene- 
rated by incorruption.”* In the following chap- 
ter, which is entitled, concerning the first and 
second resurrection, he says that the first re- 
surrection is of the soul in this life, the second, 
of the body at the lastday. The*death of the 
soul consists in impiety and sins, and it must rise 
in this world, from the state of sin, which is the 
first resurrection, or it will be condemned to 
the second death after the resurrection of 


TiCav Ele UsTaVoIa Aces MEG TE THTypes To* avTOs duns Pumwricel ev 
MVEVULATS aryl nab Tvpl. ev meV ovv TH due AovT ps war [Yyevrerte CuveT a> 
QOnesv Te Ypisw* cuvetadnuev yop avTw, nate Tov AmosoAsy, die 
tov Bumwricuxtos 2 ds TH Tov die wupos mats mvevmxtes AovTpov 
marl yevirin, CvemopPor yrvoesIe Te Twmatt THs dokxs Tov Xpisov, 
nadeCoptvn emt Seovov dokys cevtov, nat autos xabeComevos ems io 
Spovous* ct recs ePevres mavTce cmoTEpa'sovv, AAA Of naTH To AoUT POY, 
georovSyrapev cor. Origen. Comm. in Matth. ‘Tom. xv.—Opera 
Ed. Bened. Tom. iii. p. 685, 6. 


* Proculdubio mortuorum resurrectionem nomine voluit re- 
generationis intelligi. Sic enim caro nostra regenerabitur 
per incorruptionem, quemadmodum est anima nostra regene- 
rata per fidem. S. Aug. de Civ. Dei. Lib. xx. c. v. § 3. 


48 
the body. He then proceeds: “ As, therefie, 


there are two regenerations, of which I have be- 
fore spoken, one in respect to the faith, which is 
now effected by baptism; the other with respect 
to the flesh, which will hereafter be effected, by 
its incorruption and immortality, as the great 
and final judgment : so there are also two resur- 
‘ rections, the first in the present life, of the soul, 
which prevents it from coming to the second 
death, the second, which is not of the present 
life, but will take place at the end of the world; 
which is not of the soul but of the body; and 
whichat the last judgment will consign some to 
death, and others to that life which is immor- 
tal.?’* , 

St. Augustin evidently makes the same dis- 
tinction as Origen had before made in the pas- 
sage above quoted. There are two states of 
regencration, the one, commencing at baptism, the 
other, at the resurrection of the body. 

St. Hilary, bishop of Poictiers, who flourished 
according to Cave, A. D. 354, supposed that the 
rich to whom an entrance into the kingdom of 
heaven was so difficult, meant the Jews who con- 
fided in the law. But what is impossible to men 
is possible with God, who can save by faith, re- 
generate by water, conquer by the cross, adopt 
by the gospel and restore to life by the resurrec- 
tion from the dead. He therefore explains, “ Ye 


* Sicut ergo due sunt regenerationes, de quibus jam supra 
locutus sum, una secundum fidem, que nunc fit per baptismum ; 
alia secundum -carnem, que fiet in ejus incorruptione atque im- 
mortalitate per judicium magnum atque novissimum: ita sunt 
et resurrectiones due, una prima, que et nunc est, et animarum 
est, que venire non permiltit in mortem secundam; alia 
secunda, que nunc non est, sed in seculi fine futura est, nec 
animarum, sed corporum est, que per ultimum judicium alios 
mittet insecundam mortem, alios in eam vitam que non habet 
mortem. De Civitate Dei Lib. xx. Cap. 6. § 2. 


49 


who have followed me,” &c. thus: “They fol- 
lowed in the regencration, by the laver of ba 
tism, by the sanctification of the faith, by the 
adoption of inheritance, by the resurrection from 
the dead. For this is that regeneration which the 
apostles sought for, and which the law could 
not grant, which associated them in glory with, 
the twelve patriarchs upon twelve thrones, 
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”* In this 
passage, St. Hilary appears to have used the 
term regeneration as referring to the church 
in both states, militant and triumphant, united in 
one body. In another place, however,t he evi- 
dently interprets this passage according to the 
sense in which it was commonly understood, as 
referring to the state after the resurrection, 
which he calls “ spiritalis nativitatis generatio ex 
mortuis.” 

I know of but one ancient commentator. who 
clearly and explicitly interprets the regeneration 
m this place as referring to the church on earth; 


*<« Secuti in regeneratione sunt, in lavacro baptismi, in fidei 
sanclificatione, in adoptione hereditatis, in resurrectione ex 
mortuis. Hee enim illa regeneratio est quam apostoli sunt 
seculi, quam lex indulgere non potuit, que eos super duo- 
decim thronos, in judicandis duodecim tribubus Israel, in duo- 
decim patriarcharum gloria copulavit.” St. Hil, Com, in Matt. 
Op. Ed. Bened. col. 707, B. 

- 


{** Sed cum tradiderit regnum Deo patri conregnabit his ipse 
qui reges sunt, etc.—Ut tempus illud, quo eum regnare donec 
ponat inimicos suos sub pedibus suis oportet, a generatione 
usque in generationem sit comprehensum ; guia generationein 
hanc spiritalis nativitates generatio ex mortuis consequatur: wter- 
nitatis autem sug exceptio, dum in eternum in conspectu Dei 
est, predicetur.. Est autem ipse primogenitus ex mortuis.— 
Sed hujus regenerationis Dominus ad apostolos ita meminit : 
Amen dico vobis, quod vos quisequuti estis me, in regenera- 
tione clim sederit filius hominis in sede majestatis sux, et vos 
sedebitis super duodecim thronos judicantes duocecim tribus 
Israe].’’ Tractatus in Psal. Ix, Opera. col. 144. b,.c. 


7 


50 


and that is the anonymous author of the imper- 
fect work upon St. Matthew, annexed to the 
writings of St. Chrysostom, and placed by Mont- 
faucon among the productions of uncertain date, 
but written before the close of the sixth century. 

This author takes the rich to mean the Jews 
who relied upon their privileges, the law, the 
ea ie the scriptures, the temple, priests, 
evites, sacrifices, &c. which inflated them with 
pride, and prevented their becoming the disci- 
ples of Christ, and thus entering into the king- 
dom of heaven, the Christian church. Accord- 
ingly he interprets dhe regeneration as meaning 
that future time of Christianity which would fol- 
low our Saviour’s ascension. “'The time of re- 
generation is when men_ being regenerated by 
baptism, are, from being the sons of men, made 
the sons of God. And observe, that our Sa- 
viour speaks not of the time of the future judg- 
ment, but of the calling of all nations. For he 
did not say, when the Son of man shall come 
silting upon the throne of his glory, but thus, 
when he shall sit upon the throne of his glory. 
Now he began to sit upon the throne of his glory, 
when the nations began to believe in him.”* 

It is to be observed that this is a Latin com- 
mentator, and as such is not entitled to as much 
weight as the Greeks, when he differs fypm 

‘them upon questions which relate to the mean- 
ing of Greek phraseology. 


*<«< Tilud est enim tempus regenerationis quando homines re~ 
generati per baptismum facti sunt ex filiis hominum, filii Dei. 
Et vide quia non de tempore futuri judicii dicit, sed de voca- 
tione gentium universarum. Non enim dixit cum venerit 
‘filius hominis sedens super sedem majestatis sue; sed ita, 
cum sederit in sede majestatis sue. In sede autem majestatis 
sue ex eo cwepit sedere ex quo gentes credere cceperunt in 
eum.” Opus Imperf. in Matt. int. Opera, S. Chrysost. Ed. 
Bened, Tom. vi. App. p. cxlii. 


51 


When we come to the moderns, we find a 
greater diversity of interpretation; some with 
the ancients taking the term regeneration, St. 
Matt. xix. 28, in its proper sense, as meaning the 
resurrection of the body and the consequent 
state of glory; others understanding it in the 
metaphorical sense alone, as relating solely to a 
change in this life; and a third class, considering 
it in its most comprehensive sense, as meaning 
both states, and including the Christian life in all 
its stages, from its commencement in grace, to 
its consummation in glory. 

1. Among those who imterpret with the an- 
cients, Erasmus deserves to be mentioned in*the 
first place, not only on account of his eminetice 
in learning, but because his paraphrase upon the 
gospel was ordered by the injunctions of Edward - 
VI. to be provided in every parish in England, 
and publickly kept in churches for the general 
instruction of the people. 

The following is his paraphrase upon the pas- 
sage in question: “ This I warraunte you, that 
ye whiche have forsaken nothyng for my sake, 
but your boates and your nettes, but yet with 
suche a will that ye would have forsaken very 
greate richesse for my sake, and hitherto you 
beeynge bare and poore have folowed me lyke- 
wyse bare and poore, if ye persever and continue, 
in the worlde to cum, when the dead shall ryse, 
and everye man shall receyve rewarde alter his 
desertes, and whan that the Senne of man (his 
humilite that ye now see, set aparte) shal sitte in 
the seate of his majestie, ye fysshers than beyng 
partakers of honor, whiche are nowe partakers 
of affliccion, shall sit in twelve seates, and shall 
judge the twelve trybes of Israel: because they 
cumming of the same stocke, havyng knowledge 
of the same lawe, provoked with the same mira- 
cles, and benefytes, yet by no meanes could be 


52 


brought to beleve ; whereas ye meane persones, 
and unlerned, by and by at my simple bidding, 
have lefte, yea those thinges whereby ye sus- 
teyned your life. And this rewarde shai not be 
yours onelye, but whosoever for the profession of 
my name, forsaketh his house, his brothers, or 
sisters, his father or mother, his wyle or chyl- 
dren, his landes, or anye other possession: he 
shall not lose that whiche he lefte for my sake, 
insomuche, that he shall have a greate gayne 
therby. For in this worlde he shall receyve 
an hundred folde for the thinges that he hath 
lefte, and in the tyme of resurreccion he shal 
possesse everlastyng life. For in the stede of 
the thinges that he hath lefte, the whiche bee 
casuall and vyle possessions, he shall possesse 
here in the meane tyme that precious margaryte 
of the evangelicall mynde, whiche is to be es+ 
temed and compared with no marchandise of 
this worlde :”—* Unto this great rewarde, that 
shal be added also, whiche is the greatest of all, 
that for thynges whiche shortely shal perishe, ye 
shal possesse everlastyng life.” The paraphrase 
of Erasmus, printed by Nicholas Udall. Fol. 97. 
Of the same opinion are Munster, Sir Norton 
Knatchbull, Mangey in his note to Philo de Che- 
rubim ; and Biel, in his Lexicon to the txx. &e. vy. 
wea yieuet Schleusner is of opinion that in the 
passage in question, radrvyserx, regeneration, re~ 
lates either to Christ personally, in which case, 
it must mean his resurrection, and his consequent 
restoration to his pristine glory; or to the apos- 
tles personally, in which case it is to be under- 
stood of the resurrection of the dead, and the 
state of increased happiness after death.* 


* «© Theawyyeverie Vel ad Christum relatum, reditum in vitam, 
et gue hance secuta est, recuperationem et instaurationem 


53 


2. Those who understand the word im its 
metaphorical sense only, are by far the most 
numerous. 

“Some commentators,” says Calvin, “ refer the 
term regeneration to the subsequent context ; in 
which case it would mean no other than that 
newness which will follow our renewed existence 
when our mortality shall be swallowed up of 
life, and our vile body shall be changed into the 
heavenly glory of Christ. But I rather refer the 
regeneration to the first advent of Christ; be- 
cause then the world began to be renewed, and 
the church emerged from the darkness of death 
into the light of life.”* 

Grotius explains the term to mean “ that king- 
dom of the Messiah itself which commenced after 
the resurrection of Christ, of which St. Paul 
spake when he said, ‘ Behold all things are be- 
come new.’ 

“That the world is to be renewed,” says 
Lightfoot, “at the coming of the Messias, and 
the preaching of the gospel, the scriptures assert, 
and the Jews believe ; but in a grosser sense, 


pristine glorie, vel, ad apostolos relatum, resurrectionem 
mortuorum, ct statum feliciorem post mortem significare mibi 
quidem yidetur.” Schleus. Lex. Tom. ii. p. 380. 


*« In regeneratione. Quidam hance particalam ad sequentem 
contextum rejiciunt. Ita regeneratio nihil aliud esset quam 
novitas que instaurationem nostri sequetar, dum absorbebitur 
quod mortale est a vita, et corpus nostrum humile in celestem 
Christi gloriam transfigarabitur. Sed ego regenerationem po- 
tius ad priorem Christi adventum refero: quia tunc ceepit re-_ 
novari mundus, et ex mortis tenebris ecclesia in lucem vite 
emersit.”” Calv. Comm..ja Harmon. Evang. Inter Opera 
Tom. vi. p. 224. < 


1 “ Ipsum Messiz regnum inchoandum ‘post resurrectionem 
Christi, de quo agens Paulus inquit, idov yeyore xave ta wavte 
2 Cor. vy. 17.” Grotius in loc. 


54 


which we observe at chap. 24. Our Saviour, 
therefore, by the word xaavyexcw, regeneration, 
calls back the minds of the disciples to a might 
apprehension of the thing; implymg that reno- 
vation, concerning which the scripture speaks, 
is not of the body or substance of the world; 
but that it consists in the renewing of the man- 
ners, doctrine, and a dispensation conducing 
thereunto: Jen are to be renewed, regenerated, 
not the fadrick of the world. This very thing 
he teaches Nicodemus, treating concerning the 
nature of the kingdom of heaven. John ui.” Hor. 
Heb. et Talmud. Works, Vol. ii. p. 220. 

“ By regeneration,” says bishop Pearce, “ here 
seems meant that new state of things, which the 
kingdom of heaven or the gospel introduces ; 
for in that state (as Paul says, 2 Cor. v.17.) 
men are new creatures; old things are passed 
away, and all things are become new. The 
word is but once more used in the new testament, 
viz. in Titus iu. 5, where Paul speaks of men’s 
being saved Ota AouTps WaAryyEveting xual avanalwwTEWS Tov 
arvuxres dvix, by the washing (i. e. baptism) of re- 
generation, (1. e. of what is required in the new 
state under the gospel,) and by the renewal of the 
Holy Ghost. Both of these conditions, Jesus, in 
John i. 5, pronounced to be necessary for every 
one who would enter into the kingdom of God.— 
Agreeably to this interpretation, I find Josephus 
in Antiq. x 3, 9, calling that xzryyeeoe which in 
the preceding section he had called amouxzrasazig @ 
_ restoration.” Pearce, Comm. Vol. i. p. 133. v. 
28, and note I. 

Wetstein considers the regeneration here as_ 
well as in Titus 1. 5. as meaning “that mighty 
change of the world for the better which took 
place when the gentiles embraced the Christian 


55 


faith.”* In like manner the future expected 
accession of the Jews to the Christian faith is cal- 
led, Rom. xi. 15, life from the dead. Rosen- 
muller ,adopts the same ideas, and even copies 
the language of Wetstein, word for word. 

Whitby inclines to Dr. Lightfoot’s opinion, that 
the regeneration began with the resurrection 
of our Saviour, and that the apostles judged the 
twelve tribes by their doctrme in thew cpistles. 
_ He grants, however, that the zxeayyeerm, here 
mentioned may be referred to the consummation of 
the world, but then he adds, this new birth is 
only that of the church of Christ, that new life, 
or life from the dead she shall receive when all 
Israel shall be saved, and the fulness of the gen- 
tiles shall flow into them. The return of the 
Jews from the Babylonish captivity having been 
a waaryyeeoiaz> Why, he asks, may not their final con- 
version be here represented by our Saviour under 
the same metaphor ? 


3. In all this diversity of expression, it is easy to 
perceive that one current of thought runs through 
the whole of these writers. ‘They take the 
term, as used by our Saviour, in its metaphorical 
sense only, as indicating the renewed state of the 
Christian church. Dr. Hammond, while he in- 
clines to admit this construction of our Sayiour’s 
‘words, thinks that his, promise to the apostles 
includes both states of existence. In his excel- 
lent note on this subject, he says that the word 
wanyyeeriz properly signifies a new or second state, 
which he supports by reference to the definitions 
of the Greek grammarians, and the use of the 
term by the Pythagoreans. “In sacred writers 


*Ingens illa orbis in melius conversio, que accessione genti- 
um ad fidem Christi contigit, waaryyeverte Vocatur Tit. iii, 5. 
Et accessio sperata Judeorum Cun vexpav. Rom. xi. 15. 


56— 


it is used,” he observes, “for the resurreetion, 
whether that of the future being of body and 
soul, or that which Christ is pleased to make 
preparative to it, the spiritual proselytism ex- 
pressed by that phrase, ‘Titus. ii. 5, the change 
and renovation of the soul and affections in this. 
life, and as a token and sign of that work of 
Christ’s, it is used for baptism, that being born 
of water and the Holy Ghost, John i. And so 
hath Phavormus observed waaryyeecia, to gyio 
Barricne Asyeres, tis set to signify holy baptism, ‘(see 
note on Matt. im. a. and John i. a.) Farther 
yet, and by the same analogy, it may. signify that 
second or new state, that peaasv «iv in Isaiah, that 
age to come, that is the state of the church under 
Christ or his spiritual kingdom, beginning at the 
resurrection of Christ, and this either im respect 
of the begining of it, Christ’s resurrection, which 
is fitly styled the rzavvyercoie, the new birth of Christ, 
or else in regard that all other things (that is, the 
general disposal of all things m the church) are 
become new, 2 Cor. v. 27, the gentiles received 
into the church, the Jewish priesthood, and cere- 
monies abolished, &c.” If the passage in question 
be taken in this last sense, the regeneration must 
mean the time after Christ’s ascension, when all 
ower in the church was solemnly instated in 
liu and the apostles’ sitting upon thrones must 
mean that power in the church which is else-’ 
where denominated the power of the keys, the 
judicature in the church of Christ. Yet, because 
St. Paul says that the saints shall judge the world, 
1 Cor. vi. 2; because in St. Luke, chap. xxii. v.29, 
30, together with the promise of sittmg on 
thrones and judging the twelve tribes of Israel, 
is connected that of eating and drinking at the 
table of Christ in his kingdom; and because in 
Mark x. 30. beside the reward in this time (this 


57 


world) there is mention also of the world to come, 
and everlasting life ; “therefore it will be most 
safe to interpret this judging here, of the apos- 
tle’s power in the church of Christ, yet so as may 
not exclude that future dignity also.” In other 
words, our Saviour’s expression, “in the regenera- 
tion,” refers, in the opinion of that learned com- 
mentator, to both states of being—the kingdom of 
grace, and the kingdom of glory. 

Dr. Campbell takes the same view of the sub- 
ject. Commenting on the 23d verse, respecting the 
entrance of the rich into the kmgdom of heaven, 
he observes: “ By the kingdom of heaven is some- 
times understood, in this history, the Christian 
church, thensoon to be erected, and sometimes 
the state of the blessed in heaven after the re- 
surrection. In regard to thisdeclaration of our 
Lord, I take it to hold true, in which way soever 
the kingdom be understood. When it was only 
by means of persuasion that men were brought 
into a society, hated and persecuted by all the 
ruling powers of the earth, Jewish and pagan ; 
we may rest assured, that the opulent and the 
voluptuous, (characters which, ina dissolute age, 
commonly go together,) who hadso much to lose, 
and so much to fear, would not, among the hear- 
ers of the gospel, be the most easily persuaded.” 
See James u. 5, 6. 

“ As little can there be any doubt of the just- 
ness of the sentiment, in relation to the state of 
the blessed hereafter, when the deceitfulness of 
riches, and the snare into which it so often in- 
veigles men, are duly considered. So close an 
analogy runs through all the divine dispensations, 
that, in more instances than this, it may be affirm- 
ed with truth, that the declarations of scripture 
are susceptible of either interpretation.” 

In like manner, commenting on the 28th verse, 


8 


D8 


he observes : “what was said on verse 23, holds 
equally in regard to the promise we have here. 
The principal completion will be at the general 
resurrection, when there will be, in the most im- 
pale sense, a renovation, or regeneration, of 

eayen and earth, when all things shall become 
new ; yctin a subordinate sense, it may be said 
to have been accomplished when God came to 
visit in judgment that guilty land; when the old 
dispensation was utterly abolished, and succeeded 
by the Christian dispensation, into which the 
gentiles from every quarter, as well as Jews, 
were called and admitted.” Campbell’s Trans. 
and Notes on the Four Gospels, vol. im. p. 122. 
Ed. 4. Edinb. 1812, 3 vol. 8vo. 


ened 
———__ 


We have now examined the meaning of the 
term waryyseria, regeneration, as used by the sa- 
cred writers, accordmg to the three rules of 
interpretation mentioned at the beginning of this 
dissertation. We _ have seen that as a term of 
Grecian philosophy it denoted in its proper sense 
the re-union or state of re-union of the same soul 
and the same body, after they had been separat- 
ed by death; that in like manner it was employ- 
ed by the Grecian Jews, according to their juster 
sentiments concerning the future state, to denote 
the final resurrection of the body, and its re-union 
with the soul; that ma metaphorical sense it 
was used by them to denote the renewed exis- 
tence of things in this world, such as the state of 
the world after the deluge, or the state of the 
Jewish nation after they had been restored, as a 
body politick, at the termination of the Babylo- 
nish captivity. We have seen that there are 
two passages only in which the term occurs in 


59 


the new testament; that in one of these, it ap- 
pears, from the -scope and design of ‘the author, 
to be used in the metaphorical sense; that in the 
other, judging also from the context, it is some- 
what doubtful whether it is in the metaphorical 
or the proper sense; but that in both, its general 
meaning is obviously the same as that in which it 
was understood by the Jews in general. And by an 
examination of many eminent commentators, an- 
cient and modern, the learned of different nations, 
different ages, and different communions, we find 
that such has been the generally received inter- 
pretation of the universal church. We may 
therefore confidently affirm that xaaryyeveria, re- 
generation, as used by the sacred writers, is either 
synonymous with aeszes resurrection ; or differs 
from it only as a continued state of existence dif- 
fers from the incipient moment of existence. In 
its proper sense, it can relate only to the eternal 
being. of the future world; in its metaphorical 
sense, alone, isit applicable to the present life.— 
The question then is, what is the precise meta- 
phorical sense in which we may a“ the term 
so as to adhere most strictly to the language and 
doctrine of the scriptures. 


Lf we consider the terms regeneration and _ re- 
surrection as synonymous, then the mode in which 
‘the word resurrection is used inthe new. testa- 
ment, will throw light upon the proper applica- 
tion of the word regeneration. 

St. Luke xx. 34, 35, 36. ‘‘ The children of this 
world, (rev aioves tevtov,) marry and are given in mar- 
riage: but they which shall be accounted worth 
to obtain that world (Tov atavos ¢celvou, the other 
world,) and the resurrection from the dead, nei- 
ther marry nor are given in marriage: neither 


60 
can they die any more; for they are equal unto 
the angels; and are the children of God, being the 
children of the resurrection.” . 

“Our Lord,” as Campbell observes, “ agreeably 
to the Jewish style of that period, calls that only 
the resurrection which is a resurrection to glory.” 
The two states of being, the present life, and the 
life to come, are contrasted. The children of this 
world, are men in the present life or state— 
mankind in general. Into the world to come, the 
state of glory, they only of the children of this 
world shall be admitted, who shall be accounted 
worthy; and these are called the children of 
the resurrection. Therefore, being the children 
of the resurrection, or in other words being count- 
ed worthy of admission into the state of glory, 
they are equal to the angels and are the sons of 
God. The word resurrection bemg here used 
not in the metaphorical but im the proper sense, 
from this passage we may infer, that, properly 
speaking, they only are the sons of God, who will 
be admitted into the state of glory. 

Acts xii. 32, 33. And we declare unto you glad 
tidings, how that the promise which was made 
unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same 
unto us their children, in that he hath raised up 
Jesus again; as it is also written in the second 
psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begot- 
ten thee. ' 

Rom. 1. 1,3, 4. The gospel of God—concerning 
his Son Jesus Christ our Lord—declared to be the 
Son of God with power, according to the Spirit 
of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.* 


* Christ was first declared to be the Son of God at his baptism. 
‘Tt came to pass that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, 
the heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a 
bodily shape, like a dove, upon him ; and a voice came from 
heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am 
well pleased.” Luke iii. 21, 22. 

Christ was secondly declared to be the Son of God during 


61 


These two passages throw light upon each 
other. In the former, St. Paul affirms that the 
prophecy “Thou art my Son; this day have I 
begotten thee,” was fulfilled at our Lord’s.re- 
surrection; in the latter, that Christ was demon- 
strated or defined (sa:79a7es) to be the Son of God 
by the resurrection from the dead. In confor- 
mity with the same mode of expression, the 
apostle in another place, (Col. i. 18.) calls our 
Saviour “the first born from the dead; ob- 


the whole course of his life on earth, by the mighty works 
which he did, by which he manifested forth his glory, and 
led his disciples to believe on him as the promised Messiah. 
John ii. 11. 

Christ was lastly declared to be the Son of God with pow- 
er, through the same Spirit of holiness which descended upon 
him at his baptism, by the resurrection from the dead: this 
operation being expressly ascribed to the Spirit. Rom. viii. 
11. 1. Peter. iii. 18. 

So we his members are first declared to be the sons of God 
at our baptism. In a higher sense we are in this life declar- 
ed to be the sons of God by the fruits of the Spirit in our lives. 
Gal. v.22. Rom. viii. 13, 14. In the highest sense, we shall 
be declared to be the sons of God when we shall become 
the children of the resurrection. 

It is perhaps worthy of observation, that in the account of our 
Saviour’s baptism, Luke iii. 22, instead of ‘* Thou art my be- 
Joved Son ; in thee J am well pleased,” the celebrated codex 
Cantabrigiensis, (D. Wetst. and Griesb.) reads “* Thou art 
my Son; this day have I begotten thee.” This which is 
now a singular reading of that Greek manuscript is found in 
all the Latin MSS. of the antehieronymian version, excepting 
the cedex Brixianus and Forojulien. It was also in the 
copies of this gospel read by Clemens Alexandrinus, Metho- 
dius and Justin Martyr. he latter, speaking of our Saviour’s 
baptism, and this quotation from the second psalm, which 
he says was then uttered from heaven, explains the being that 
day begotten, as. meaning that he was then made known, or 
as St. Paul says, (Rom. i. 4.) declared, to be the Son of God. 
Tote Yeveriy avTov Azyay yiveT Sat Tols aS pwr7rols eSorouy YwaTls avTtev 
eusrre yverSat. Dial. c. Tryph. p. ii. Ed. Thirlb. p. 333. 
and Thirlby’s note. 


62 


viously implying, that to rise from the dead and 
to be born or begotten, are convertible terms.* » 

In the passages last quoted, the word “ resur- 
rection” is used in its primary and proper mean- 
ing, to denote the re-union of the soul and body 
of man after death. There are others in which 
it is applied in the metaphorical sense. . 

Col. 1. 12, Buried with him (Christ) in bap- 
tism, wherein also ye are risen with him. 

Col. ui. 1. If ye then be risen with Christ, 
seek those things which are above. 

Rom. vi. 2—6. How shall we that are dead to 
sin live any longer therein? Know ye not that 
so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ 
were baptized into his death? Therefore we 
are buried with him by baptism into death, that 
like as Christ was raised up from the dead by 
the glory of the Father, even so we also should 
walk in newness of life. For if we have been 
planted together in the likeness of his death, we 
shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. 
Knowing this that our old man is crucified with 
him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, 
that henceforth we should not serve sin. So 
again, verses 8 to 11, Now if we be dead with 
Christ, we believe that we shall also live with 
him; knowing that Christ, being raised from the 
dead dieth no more; death hath no more do- 
minion over him. For in that he died, he died un- 
to (or byt) sin once; but in that he liveth, he 
liveth unto (or by) God. Likewise reckon ye 
also yourselves to be dead indeed unto (or by) sin, 
but alive unto (or by) God, through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. / 

The apostle affirms that we are risen with 


_* See also Heb. i. 6. 
"+See Macknight's Com. on the Epistles. Vol. i. in loc. 


63 


Christ in baptism, and that, being buried with 
him by baptism, as Christ was raised from the 
dead by the glory or power of God, so we, by 
the same glory or power, (sce Rom. viii. 2.) 
should also walk in newness of life. It is appa- 
rent then that the resurrection of Christians, in 
the: metaphorical sense in which it is here used 
by St. Paul, is a complex term. It is applied by 
him to the outward and visible sign in baptism, 
as well as to the inward and spiritual grace. We 
are risen, says the the apostle, in a Does 
the resurrection, m this metaphorical sense, mean 
only the rising of the soul from the death of sin 
to. the life of righteousness? ‘This would make 
the apostle affirm that the mward and _ spiritual 
grace always accompanies the outward and visi- 
ble sign: in which case, all dispute upon the 
subject of the efficacy of baptism would be at an 
end. But the great body of Christians will ad- 
mit the expressions in our twenty-fifth article to 
be correct, that the sacraments “ haye a whole- 
some effect or operation in such only as worthily 
receive the same.” And if this be admitted, then 
it must also be admitted that the baptismal re- 
surrection is a complex term, involving the out- 
ward and visible sign, as. well as the ward and 
spiritual grace. In the largest acceptation of the 
word, all baptized persons are risen with Christ. 
They are made members of his body, the church. 
They have risen from an uncoyenanted, to a 
covenanted state. They are translated into God’s 
kingdom. From being aliens and foreigners, they 
are admitted to be fellow citizens with the saints, 
and of the household of God. They are allowed 
to partake of all the means of grace, and if they 
have come with right motives, all the hopes of 
glory. 


In a less extensive sense, or rather in the most 


64 


complete acceptation of the metaphor, they 
only are risen with Christ who are risen from 
the death of sin unto the life of righteousness. 
This spiritual resurrection of our nature, through 
the powerful assistances, afforded us under the 
new covenant, must take place in this life, or we 
shall never attain unto that final and proper 
resurrection,in which our souls shall be for ever 
-united to bodies fashioned like unto the glorious 
body of our Redeemer. 

If, therefore, the words “resurrection” and 
“regeneration,” though not conveying precisely 
the same idea, are to be considered as converti- 
ble terms, then it will follow that “regeneration” 
is properly used to denote baptism; for the apos- 
tle expressly calls baptism a resurrection; and in 
whatever sense it be a resurrection, in the same 
sense it is a regeneration.* And again, if the 
complex term “resurrection” be metaphorically 
used to signify not only the “ outward and visible 
sign,” but also the “inward and spiritual grace” 
in baptism—the death unto sin, and the new life 
unto righteousness ; then may the term regenera- 
tion be used in the same sense. But it is not to 
be exclusively uscd in this sense, because that 
would be to prescribe narrower limits to our 
phraseology than what are prescribed in the 
scriptures. 

If we proceed to examine the other expres- 
sions in the new testament, which have an 
allinity with the word regeneration, we shall 


* The result is very much the same if the term ‘“ regen- 
eration” be considered as denoting that continued state of 
existence of which ‘resurrection’ is the incipient period. In 
whatever sense baptism is a resurrection, in that same sense 
it is the beginning of the regenerate state in this life. During 
this first state, we are required to rise to a continued life of 
righteousness through the power(ul operation of the same Spirit 
which raised up Jesus from the dead. 


65 


find that they have an equal affinity with the 
word “ resurrection,” and consequently strength- 
en the conclusion just drawn. 

St. John i. 5. Except a man be born (yewa3») 
of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into 
the kingdom of God. To be born of water, is 
equivalent to the outward and visible resurrec- 
tion, in baptism, by which men are admitted into 
the kingdom of God on earth, the visible church; 
to be born of the Spirit, is equivalent to that in- 
ward and spiritual resurrection, which is effected 
in our souls by the Spirit of God, and without 
which we cannot enter into the kingdom of God 
in heaven. 

Ib. 1. 11, 12, 13. He (Christ) came unto his 
own (his peculiar people the Jews) and his own 
received him not ; but as many as received him 
(by repentance, faith, and baptism,) to them gave 
he power to become the sons of God, even to 
them that believe on hisname. Who were born 
(evenn9neav) not of blood, (literally bloods—not by 
their illustrious descent from Abraham, and re- 
ceiving the bloody rite of circumcision) nor of the 
will of the flesh, (by natural descent from their 
parents) nor of the will of man, (by the adoption 
of an heir for want of natural issue,) but of God, 
(by the sanctification of his Holy Spirit.) As many 
as receive Christ according to the way of his 
appointment, or being properly qualified, are by 


baptism made members of his church, to them 


the privilege of adoption is given, whereby we 


cry abba, father. They are enabled torise from 
the death of sin, to the life of righteousness, and 
if they continue in well doing, through the grace 
given them, will be admitted to the resurrection 
of the just. ; 
1 John 11. 29. Every one that doeth righ- 
9 


66 


teousness is born (yeyemra, hath been begotten,) 
of him (God.) * 

1 John ii. 2, 3. Now we are the sons of God ; 
and it doth not yet appear what we shall be ; 
but we know that when he shall appear, we 
shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 
And every one who hath this hope in him, puri- 
fieth himself, even as he is pure. 

1 John it. 9,10. Whosoever is born (yeyenuenes, 
hath been begotten) of God, doth not commit 
sin; for his seed remaineth in him, and he can- 
pot sin because he is born (yeyewre hath been 
begotten) of God. In this the children of God 
are manifest, and the children of the devil; who- 
soever doth not righteousness is not (begotten) 
of Gcd, neither he that loveth not his brother. 

1 Johny. 1. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is 
the Christ is born (y«vera:, hath been begotten,) 
of God: and every one that loveth him that be= 
gat, loveth him also that is begotten (yeyemevor) 
of him. Every one who loveth God loveth all 
who bear his image.—4. Whatsoever is born 
(yeyerex) Of God overcometh the world: and 
this is the victory that overcometh the world, 
even our faith—18. Whosoever is born (begot- 
ten) of God sinneth not: but he that is begotten 
of God, keepeth (or guardeth) himself, and that 
wicked one toucheth him not.” 

In these remarkable expressions, the aposile 
evidently uses the term sons of God, to denote 
those who are so in the highest sense in which 
it can be applicd to men in this world. His 
language amounts, in fact, to a description of the 
Christian character. He affirms that the true 
Christian doth righteousness; doth not commit 
sin; believeth that Jesus is the Christ, loveth 
God and all mankind, but more especially all 


‘ 67 

who partake of the same renewed nature; over- 
cometh the world by his faith; and guardeth 
himself from the temptations and assaults of his 
spiritual adversary. Ina word, he who is re- 
generate in this world, in the most complete 
sense of the metaphor, is risen from the death 
of sin unto the life of righteousness. Any one 
who examines with attention the language of the 
apostolick epistles will perceive that regenzralion 
and resurrection conveyed so nearly the same 
idea, that the thought of one {igure naturall 
suggested the other. Thus, 1 John i. 14. We 
know that we have passed from death unto life, 
because we love the brethren. He that loveth 
not his brother abideth indeath. Compare this 
with 1 John iv. 7. Beloved, let us love one 
another: for love is of God; and every one that 
loveth is born, or begotten, of God, and knoweth 
God. 

Inchap. ii. ver. 2,3, there is an evident allusion 
to the final resurrection, or the entrance int& the 
kingdom of glory. “We are now,” says the 
apostle, “ the sons of God; but at doth not yet ap- 
pear what we shall be.” The iull import of the 
title “ sons of God” cannot be known till we be- 
come sons of the resurrection, (St. Luke xx. 36.) 
“ We know that when he shall appear we shall 
be hike him.” When Christ, who is our life, 
shall appear, we shall also appear with him 
in glory, (Col. i. 4.) “Every one who hath 
this hope purifieth himself even as he is_ pure.” 
They who expect to be made like him here- 
alter, must first resemble him here in purity 
and holiness. 

In chap. iii. ver. 9. it is said, “« Whosoever is 
born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed re- 


68 


maineth in him.” The word of God, St. Peter 
assures us, 1s that incorruptible seed. 1 Pet. 
1. 23. Being born again, (azyevenmust) not of cor- 
ruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of 
God, which liveth and abideth for ever.* The 
sced of God’s word, when sown in good ground— 
in honest and good hearts—(Luke viii. 15,) 
springs up, and brings forth fruit, some thirty, 
some sixty, and some an hundred fold. The 
holy nature which this incorruptible seed pro- 
duces, is not like the frail and perishing produc- 
tions of our mortal life, for it will grow up to 
immortal happiness. If we are planted in the 
likeness of the death of Christ, we shall be also 
in the likeness of his resurrection. Rom. vi. 

2 Cor. v. 17. “Therefore if any man be in 
Christ he is a new creature, (x0 x75 a NeW 
ercation;) old things are passed away, behold all 
things are become new.” The connexion is ob- 
vious betweena new creation—the renovation of. 
all things—and a resurrection. In the fifteenth 
verse, the apostle had said, that Christ died for 
all, (all being dead, vy. 14,) that they which live, 
should not henceforth live unto themselves, but 
unto him which died for them, and rose again. 
“ Therefore,” he subjoins, “if any man be in Christ 
he is a new creature. 

2 Cor. iv. 14. “ Knowing that he who raised 
up the Lord Jesus, shall raise up us also by 
Jesus v.16. For which cause we faint not but 
though our outward man (c¢%o juorevSperes, OUr 


*In the 21st verse the apostle speaks of the same persons 
who are here said to be born again, as believing in God who 
raised up Jesus from the dead, and gave him glory. ‘This is 
mentioned to show that the apostle’s current of thought natural- 
ly flowed from the idea of the resurrection of Christ, to that 
of the spiritual resurrection or regeneration of his members. 
For a further illustration of the same remark, See | Peter 
i. 3. 


69 


body, perish,) yet the inward man (4 «#3, our 
soul,) is renewed (avanzinovrat) Gay by day. The 
same train of thought is here observable. The 
hope of the final resurrection to glory animates 
the Christian under the pressure of every ditficul- 
ty, and his soul becomes every day more and 
more holy, until at length it comes unto the ever- 
lasting kingdom of his Lord. 

Ephes. 1. 10. “For we are his workmanship, - 
(weimex) created (xrz3evre) in Christ Jesus unto 
good works.” The apostle had just before spok- 
en of both Jews and gentiles as dead in tres- 
passes and sins, (ver. I, 3.) and the children of 
wrath. But God being rich in mercy, had made 
both alive, in Christ, and had raised up both 
together, and made them sit together in the 
heavenly places (ver. 5, 6.) that is, had brought 
them both by the baptismal resurrection into the 
Christian church—the kingdom of heaven. Being 
thus brought into the church they are said here 
to be the workmanship of God, created in Christ 
Jesus unto good works for a continuance in which 
God had belore prepared them, by the know- 
ledge of the gospel and the influences of his 
Spirit. 

The same idea is continued in the 15th verse 
of the same chapter. Christ, by his death, hath 
abolished the enmity between the Jews and gen- 
tiles, that he might create (xs:27) the two in him- 
sell’ into one new man (e1s Eve xasvor eevSpwmrev.) Vv. 16, 
And that he might reconcile both unto God in 
one body; that is in the one church, which, in 
the last verse of the Ist chapter, is called the 
body of Christ. 

Ephes. iv. 22. That ye put off concerning 
the former conversation, the old man (zo raazt oy 
av9pwxev) which is corrupt according to the deceit- 
ful lusts ; 23. and be renewed (cv aveourSer) in 


70 


the spirit of your mind; ver. 24. and that ye put 
on the new man (re xzue a3;e7v) which alter 
God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 

In the first part of this chapter, the apostle 
exhorts the Ephesians to walk worthy of their 
Christian calling; and he urges it by the consides 
ration of their being united in that one body the 
church; a body animated by one spirit, serving 
one Lord, professing one faith, and having one 
baptism. The very object for which they were 
brought into this church, was that they might 
grow up from the state of children, or new born 
babes, to the full stature of perfect manhood— 
He commands them, therefore, as they had re- 
nounced their impure heathen and Jewish cha- 
racter, by entering into the Christian church, to 
put off, as an unclean garment, their unrenewed 
nature, to become new men in their understand- 
ing, will, and affections, and to put on, as a pure 
and spotless robe, that new nature which, af- 
ter the image of God, is created in righteous- 
ness and true holiness. He 1s supposed to allude 
to the practice which prevailed in the Christian 
church, and is thought to have been derived 
from the Jewish, of baptized persons laying aside 
at their baptism the garments they had former- 
ly worn, and assuming others which were new. 
and white and perfectly clean. Their very pros 
fession in baptism was to follow the example of 
our Saviour Christ, and to be made like unto 
him; that as he died and rose again for them, 
so should they die from sin, and rise again unto 
righteousness. f mt 

Nearly the same expressions occur in the epis- 
tle to the Colossians, and the context shows still 
more clearly the constant affinity of these vari- 
ous metaphors. 

In the second chapter, as we have seen, St. 


71 


Paul speaks of baptism as a resurrection; and m 
the beginning of the third chapter he exhorts 
them, since they had been thus raised with 
Christ, to set their affections upon heavenly 
things, and to put away the several vices to 
which they had been formerly prone. ver. 9. Lie 
not one to another, seeing that ye have put off 
the old man with his deeds; and have put on 
the new man, which is renewed (zyaxa:evmery) IN 
knowledge, after the image of him that created 
him. 


I have now, I believe, brought into view al- 
most every passage in the new testament which 
is considered as having any relation to this impor- 
tant and difficult subject; and I have, if I mis- 
take not, fully shown that the terms resurrection 
and regeneration may be considered as syhonymes. 
In their proper meaning, they cannot apply to 
this life. It is only their metaphorical meaning 
with which in our present state we have an 
concern. In the metaphorical sense, the apostle 
expressly affirms that we are risen in baptism ; 
it must therefore be admitted by every candid 
mind that in whatever sense baptism is a resur- 
rection, it is, in the same sense, a regeneration. 
Consequently the language of our church, in her 
baptismal service, is as consistent with the scrip- 
tures, as it is with the sentiments and expressions 
of the church universal for sixteen hundred 
years. That narrow use of the phrase which 
would exclude its application to baptism was un- 
known at the period of the reformation. Hence 
there is a remarkable uniformity with the lan- 
guage of the English liturgy and articles, in all 
the symbols and confessions of faith which were 
framed at that period, by the continental re- 


72 


formers ; a uniformity which is still preserved in 
our own country in the formularies of. those who, 
in their modes of speech, have departed most 
widely from the language of our church. When 
this circumscribed use of the term regeneration 
first became current, it may be difficult to deter- 
mine. It is not unlikely that it grew out of the” 
contenticns on the subject of election and grace 
which in the year 1618, agitated the synod of 
Dort ; and Dr. Nichols, in his commentary on the 
baptismal office, traces it no higher than to the 
beginning of the civil wars in England; that is to 
the year 1641. If this be correct, it is not diffi- 
cult to account for its prevalence in America. 

But on the other hand, it has been shown that 
the word resurrection, and consequently its syno- 
nyme regeneration, is a complex term ; that it 
denotes not only the outward and visible resur- 
rection frem an uncovenantcd to a covenant state, 
but also that process of spiritual renovation, by 
which our nature is figuratively said to die unto 
sin and live again unto righteousness. 

A distinction has of late years been made by 
many able divines between the terms regenera- 
tion and renovation; but it deserves to be serious- 
ly considered whether this distinction is well 
founded; and whether it is net likely to produce 
the same confusion of thoughts, and the same in- 
terminable disputes, which have arisen from the 
opposite limitation of the new birth, to the mei 
pient sanctification ef the soul. If resurrection 
and regeneration are synonymous, will it not also 
be apparent that resurrection and renoyation are 
so in an equal degree, and consequently that the 
renovation of our nature is equivalent to spiritual 
regeneration ? etl 

ii we turn to the ancient grammarians and 
ecclesiastical writers, we shall find that raamwyyereoue, 


73 


regeneration, and avexayors, renovation, with the 
synonymes of each, are used as convertible terms. 

Hesychius explains waaryyereciz, regeneration, as 
meaning To tx deurepay ceveryeyinyvet 4 avancincInva, to be 
born again, or renewed. 

Clemens Alexandrinus evidently uses the term 
regeneration in the sense which is now affixed to 
renovation. ‘Thus near the end of the second 
book of his Stromata, he says, “ The adultress 
when she lives to sin, is dead to the command- 
ments ; but when she has repented, or is born 
again by a change of life, she has the regenera- 
tion (waauyyereciay,) of life. The former adultress 
being dead, she hath come again to life, being 
born by repentance.* 

So also Gregory, Nyssen, Orat. Catechet. T. 
iil. p. 108. “ That we receive a salutary birth 
(ry cwrnpiey yerm w,) by the renovation and change 
of our nature, is manifest to all. See Suicer’s 
Thes. sub. VOC. cayenctylojeos: 

On the other hand, nothing is more common 
among the fathers than to apply the term reno- 
vation to baptism. Thus Athanasius says, com- 
menting upon Heb. vi. 4, 5,6, “ What is said in 
the epistle to the Hebrews does not exclude sin- 
ners from repentance, but only shows that there 
is but one baptism of the catholick church, and not 
asecond. Therefore he exhorts to repentance, 
but shows that there is only one, and not a second 
renovation by baptism. For he does not say, it is 
impossible to repent, but that it is impossible for 
us fo renew, («vaxemfew,) any persons on profession 
of repentance. There is, between these, a great 
difference ; for he, who repents, ceases indeed 


“H yap Tot ropvsurart, Cn sy TH daptia, aredazvey deTaic evrorcuce 
i de psrtvoncac2, olov avayevvnbace xxre tay erispcony Tov Riou, 
manvyyeverizy exer Conc’ rebvnxvias prey tue Topync Tus marrtac, ete Bioy 
ds wapsrSourns audic tHe nate Try meTayotay yevvnSeone. S. Clem. Alex. 
Opera. Kd. Potter. Tom.i p. 507. Strom, Lib. ii. 425. 
t 


10 


74 


{rom sinning, but retains the scars of his wounds, 
whereas he who is baptized, puts off the old man, 
and is renewed, being born again by the grace of 
the Spirit 2 ode BamriCousyos, Tov peY warcov cemendrdvonsTas, 
evdpumoy , vances Cera de, ws ava Ser yenndels, 71.78 wieueeTos yoepiTt> 
Homil. in Matt. xii. 31, as quoted by Suicer, sub. 
Ve. avancalyitic. . 

My limits will not permit me to dwell longer 
upon this part of the subject, and I must there- 
fore refer the learned reader to Suicer’s Thesau- 
rus, under the words, Avaryevnrls, ceveencetviar, CLV OLIVITIG, 
CEVCLHMIVIT LOG, CLVCLVEWTIC, CLVERTITIC, eYLOUmTITIC, ccvecCcw, eveEruriey 
and xaayyever, where he will find full proof that 
the words, resurrection, renovation, and regenera- 
tion, were, in a metaphorical sense, used ancient- 
ly as convertible terms. 

It will be found upon examination that such 
is the language of the oldest and best divines of 
the church of England: and it is a remarkable 
and somewhat amusing evidence of this, that in 
the keen and acrimonious contest which within 
the last few years has taken place in England on 
the subject of baptismal regeneration, botia sides 
have appealed to the same authors. 

It is of great importance not to narrow the 
phraseology of the scriptures by improper. dis- 
tinctions and limitations. When applied to the 
essential doctrines of the gospel, they are sure 
to exert a most pernicious influence. Into the 
language of Christian expositors they mtroduce 
inextricable confusion; sometimes change the 
whole current of thought and render that turbid 
which before was clear; often produce a misun- 
derstanding where there is no real difference; 
and terminate not unfrequently in producing 
schisms, and heresies, and every evil work. 

If the renovation of our nature be but another 
term to express its resurrection or regeneration 


V5 


from the death of sin to the life of righteousness, 
then it will be seen that our spiritual regeneration 
is the process of our whole mortal life. Itis begun 
when the Holy Spirit begins to operate upon 
our minds. It is promoted by the use of-all the 
means of grace, by the preaching and reading of 
the word of God, by prayer, by the administra- 
tion of the sacraments, by our very trials and af- 
flictions. While the seeds of sin remain in our 
nature, our inner man must be renewed {rom day 
to day. We must be for ever engaged in purity- 
ing our bodies and our souls, and continually be- 
coming more and more perfect until this mortali- 
ty shall be swallowed up of life. 

In the covenant of baptism, we receive the 
promise of the Holy Spirit tostrengthen us with 
might in the inner man. What Christ hath 
promised, he, for his part, will most surely keep 
and perform. Nothing but our own sinfulness 
will make that promise void. Who, then, will not 
hasten to receive the privileges of baptism by in- 
curring its holy obligations! Ye mothers! will ye 
suffer your children to continue destitute of this 
precious promise ? or will ye not rather, from the 
moment of their birth, say in the language of 
your Saviour, “I have a baptism to be baptized 
with, and how am | straitened ’till it be accom- 
plished!” The case of those who receive baptism 
in their riper years must of course be uncertain. 
When your sons and your daughters have grown 
to man’s estate, you cannot know their hearts. 
They have committed many sins and may be 
insensible of their enormity. You cannot, there- 
fore, know certainly whether they have werthi- 
ly and with faith received that holy sacrament. 
But with regard to your mfants there can be 
no such apprehension. ‘They have never com- 
mitted sin, and having therefore no need of re- 


Diy> Ss 


76 


entance, they have done or omitted nothing 
sae can Sai the grace of God. Put them 
then as early as'possible under the care and gui 
ance of that heavenly Comforter who presides 
invisibly over the kingdom of Christ, and dwells 
in the hearts of Christians. Bring themas earl 
as possible to your Saviour that he should tou 
them; and “doubt ye not that he will favoura- 
bly receive them; that he will embrace them 
with the arms of his mercy; that he will give 
unto them the blessing of eternal life, and make 
them partakers of his everlasting kingdom.” —_ 


THE END. 


A! 
G55 


